Wolverine Digest

Breaking down Michigan's pro day; insights, observations and predictions heading into draft day

With the NFL Draft rapidly approaching, Michigan held their pro day in Ann Arbor and there was insight to be gained from the event

Jerred Johnson

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan defensive back Will Johnson (DB17) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images
Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan defensive back Will Johnson (DB17) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images / Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

The four big names out of Ann Arbor in relation to the 2025 NFL Draft remain the same, Mason Graham, Will Johnson, Colston Loveland, and Kenneth Grant. The "Big Four" are still mocked to go in the first round, an incredible feat for any program. While pro day gives elite talent a chance to showcase some of their skills, it really helps lower-round prospects. It is an opportunity for guys like Josaiah Stewart, Makari Page, or Donovan Edwards to show their skill set in front of GMs, scouts, and head coaches. The first-round talent on the field in Ann Arbor just attracts more of those skill analyzers, which benefits their teammates.

1. Kenneth Grant


Watching a man as big as Kenneth Grant do the athletic things he does never ceases to amaze me. His ability to do things with his body and size is unmatched in the draft. Mason Graham is clearly the better prospect at defensive line, but Grant is right there with him and could match his NFL success if he lands on the right team, continues to progress, and remembers the work ethic that got him to where he is now. If he falls to the end of the first round, or somehow slips out and into the second, he becomes the absolute definition of a draft-day steal.



2. Will Johnson, Colston Loveland and Mason Graham

The three remaining surefire first-round picks are locked in and ready for their names to be called. They have nothing left to prove, save for Will Johnson. His nagging lower-body injury, which Angelique Chengelis from The Detroit News identified as a hamstring, is starting to cause a bit of a stir. A singular injury near the draft is not a huge issue. The fact that he missed multiple games this season with a lower-body injury, then got healthy to train, only to get injured again is worrisome. A top 10 pick in the NFL Draft cannot be a miss, bust, or injury-prone player. Teams that miss on picks that high struggle for years to overcome them. I think Johnson will be fine and will end up having an All-Pro career, but I also get the hesitation. Graham is packing on muscle and looks to have no issues; he has been called the "can't miss prospect" of this draft. Loveland is a solid mid to late first-round pick who has shown that hybrid ability to be a TE/WR and also shown a nasty streak when it comes to blocking. Another guy who looks like he will have a long productive career.

3. Donovan Edwards and Josaiah Stewart

Edwards
Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (RB05) . Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

EDGE rusher Josaiah Stewart is a talent who could sneak his way into the first round and give Michigan their 5th first-round draft selection of the 2025 NFL Draft. Stewart is one of those players who has just performed at every level, in every game, and has a motor and strive to succeed that is unparalleled. He is a true team and locker type guy. Someone that you want on your side and in the trenches with you. He beat tackles that were bigger and stronger than him routinely during his career. I think he could be a true steal in this draft. Donovan Edwards had an amazing NFL Combine, showcasing what we already knew, he is an elite-level athlete. He struggled at times at Michigan, but also had some defining game-changing moments in the biggest of games. He will go down as a Michigan legend forever after what he did against Ohio State and in the National Championship game. Where does that put him in the NFL? I am not sure, he may end up as an undrafted free agent, or he could be a very late-round pick. The athletic ability is there, he just needs the right fit to realize his potential.

pro day
Michigan 2025 NFL Draft Pro Day / Michigan football

Overall, the pro day seemed like a success. Makari Page showed some speed in the 40 which, along with his prototypical safety size, could entice a team to snag him in the later rounds. Some of the players from last year and the year prior showed up as well, highlighting the family and closeness that Coach Sherrone Moore and his staff pitch to prospective recruits. Draft day should be an exciting time for many of these players, the fans, and the program as a whole.

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

More Michigan News:

Social media reacts to Michigan basketball escaping UC San Diego in Round 1 of NCAA Tournament

Former Michigan football OC Matt Weiss indicted on 24 counts, including 10 counts of aggravated identity theft

Where Joel Klatt predicts Michigan football players to land in post-free agency mock draft

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

Published
Jerred Johnson
JERRED JOHNSON

Jerred Johnson has served in the United States military for over 23 years. He has a Bachelors in Marketing, a Masters in Management and is in the final phases of completing his Doctorate in Business Administration.

Home/Football