Ta'Quon Graham 2021 NFL Draft Profile

Ta’Quon Graham 2021 NFL Draft Profile

Ta’Quon Graham is a large, experienced player going into the 2021 NFL Draft. Graham weighs in at almost 300 pounds and should use this size to plug the middle of a defensive line. At his pro day, Graham participated in the normal combine bench press and finished with a very respectable 32 reps. Ta’Quon Graham also possesses top-level metrics at arm length and wingspan. He is longer than first-round defensive line prospect Christian Barmore. Graham’s 40-yard dash also comes in faster than Barmore.

Ta’Quon Graham, a four-star recruit for the Texas Longhorns, started 24 games in his college career. He appeared in 48 total games. Experience will not be a detriment to his NFL prospect. Graham was named All-Big 12 in 2020. He played both defensive end and defensive tackle in his time with the Longhorn. He will likely be asked to stay at defensive tackle and plug the interior of a defense. Graham also will possess the mental acumen for the NFL. He was an All-Big 12 Academic in 2020 and made the Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll in both 2019 and 2020. Graham totaled 23 tackles and two sacks in his final season with the University of Texas in nine games, all which he started.

Strengths

Big player with long arms – ideal NFL build;

Strong interior lineman able to control double teams and stand his ground;

Multi-year starter with plenty of experience;

Very durable – no major injuries to report;

Smart player that understands blocking schemes;

Weaknesses

Struggles to shed blockers and get after the ball carrier;

Diagnosing plays;

Using his size better;

Doesn’t get after the passer consistently;

Hand fighting.

NFL Comparison: Dean Lowry

Projection: Day 3, Round 6-7

Bottom Line on Ta’Quon Graham

Ta’Quon Graham will be an intriguing pick for someone late in the NFL draft. A long, rangy defensive lineman for interior needy teams, Graham will need to go to a team that can develop his skills. However, there are enough traits here to make you believe that he could turn into a solid NFL player with time. He has the size, strength, and length that you just can’t teach, and he is already capable of taking on double teams without losing his footing.

The biggest issue with Graham’s game is his inability to shed blocks. While he’s a solid space eater, Graham struggles to get off those blocks and actually make a play on the ball carrier. Somebody this big shouldn’t have this much trouble making plays, and these struggles largely originate from his hand fighting. Ultimately, Ta’Quon Graham probably won’t do too much as a rookie. However, if he lands with the right team and the right coaching staff, he could turn into a solid rotational player as early as 2022. All of his major flaws are fixable, and he’s well worth a gamble on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.