Brandon Graham Bio

-Courtesy of NFLDraftScout.com

BRANDON GRAHAM
Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
University of Michigan Wolverines
#55
6:01.3-268
Detroit, Michigan
Crockett Vocation Technical High School

OVERVIEW:
Graham is well-suited to make the transition from collegiate down lineman to a professional linebacker. He also volunteered to join the kick coverage unit as a senior, highlighting his versatility. He blocked two punts and recovered another for a touchdown in 2009. At a school with a tremendous history for producing elite talent, Graham was the first Michigan defensive player to ever be voted Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player twice (2008-09). The previous two-time MVPs are running back Mike Hart (2006-07), wide receiver Anthony Carter (1980, 1982), running back Ron Johnson (1968-69), running back Tom Harmon (1939-1940) and guard Ralph Heikkinen (1937-38).

He shared 2009 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten Conference’s Most Valuable Player with Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark. Graham closed out his career ranked second in school history in forced fumbles (eight), evidence that he not only gets to the quarterback or running back, but makes things happen when he does. His 29.5 sacks and 56.0 tackles behind the line of scrimmage also rank second in school annals. In 46 games at Michigan, he has accounted for 40.56 percent of his tackles coming behind the line of scrimmage.

Graham attended Crockett Vocation Technical High School, where he led the school to its first Detroit Public School League title as a junior and a semi-final appearance in the Division IV playoffs. The four-year starter earned Parade, EA Sports and USA Today All-American first-team honors as a senior. He was rated the 14th-best player in the nation by USA Today and Prep Football Report. He was selected Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and was a member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s National Top 25 squad.

The Detroit News rated Graham the state’s best blue chip prospect in 2005, as the Detroit Free Press rated him second in the Midwest region. He received a five-star prospect rating from Prep Football Report and Rivals.com, while Prep Star ranked him third among the nation’s linebackers. He also earned Detroit News first-team All-Metro and first-team Class B All-State honors as a junior. Graham recorded 307 tackles, including 112 for loss and 56 sacks during his career. He also collected 16 fumble recoveries, forced six more and grabbed two interceptions in four years at Crockett. He averaged more than 40 yards per attempt as a punter. He totaled 98 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, two interceptions and forced six fumbles.

As a junior, Graham posted 20 sacks and 10 fumble recoveries. He became the first player from the state of Michigan to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Elected captain of the East squad for the U.S. Army game, he collected four tackles and one blocked field goal. In addition to football, Graham participated in basketball while also throwing the shot put in track, logging a career-best toss of 50-0. He also ran a 10.9 in the 100 meters along with a 23.5 in the 200.

Graham appeared in 10 games during the 2005 season for Michigan. He saw time at defensive end vs. Vanderbilt, but then moved inside to shore up depth issues at tackle and nose guard. He finished the year with three tackles, assisting on a sack and causing one fumble.

As a sophomore, Graham played in 13 games, starting five games at right defensive end. His three forced fumbles tied for fourth on the school season-record list. He collected 25 tackles (13 solos) and led the team (seventh in the Big Ten) with 8.5 sacks. He also notched two fumble recoveries, earning a spot on the Ted Hendricks Award Watch List (nation’s top defensive end).

In 2008, Graham took over left defensive end duties, starting 11 games. The All-American honorable mention and All-Big Ten second-team pick was bothered at midseason by a leg infection, but still went on to rank second in the conference and 11th in the nation with 10 sacks, the eighth-best total in team annals. He led the league and finished second nationally with 20 stops behind the line of scrimmage, as he produced 46 tackles (29 solos) and caused two fumbles.

As a senior, Graham was an All-American and All-Big Ten selection, in addition to being a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award. He registered 10.5 sacks with 64 tackles (42 solos) and caused two fumbles. He blocked two punts and returned another blocked kick for a touchdown. He also led the NCAA with 26.0 stops for loss, tying for second on the school season-record chart.

CAREER NOTES:
Graham played in 46 games at Michigan, starting 28 times – 23 at left defensive end and five at right end…Recorded 138 tackles (85 solos) with 29.5 sacks for minus 219 yards, 56.0 stops for losses of 282 yards and three pressures…Caused eight fumbles and recovered three others…Blocked two punts and returned another blocked kick for a 2-yard TD…Also deflected three passes…His eight forced fumbles rank second in school history behind LaMarr Woodley (10, 2003-06)…Ranks second in school annals with 29.5 sacks, topped by Mark Messner (36.0, 1985-88)…Only Messner (273) and Woodley (224) generated more lost yardage from sacks than Graham’s 219…Ranks seventh on the U-M season-record list with 10.5 sacks in 2009 and placed eighth with 10.0 sacks in 2008…His minus 98 yards via sacks in 2009 rank third
on the Wolverine annual record chart…Graham’s 56.0 tackles for loss rank second in U-M history behind Messner (70.0) and his 282 yards generated from those stops are surpassed by only Messner’s 376 and Woodley’s 286 in school annals…His 26.0 tackles for loss in 2009 tied Anthony Spencer of Purdue (2006) sixth on the Big Ten Conference season chart and placed second in Wolverine history behind Shawn Crable’s 28.5 in 2007…His tackle for lost yardage total of 127 in 2009 ranks behind Woodley’s 131 in 2006 among Michigan players in a season…His five tackles for loss vs. Ohio State in 2009 tied for fifth on the school game-record list…His three forced fumbles in 2007 tied for fourth on U-M’s annual record chart.

2009 SEASON:
All-American first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report and Rivals.com, earning second-team honors from the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, College Football News and the Walter Camp Foundation…All-Big Ten Conference first-team pick…The team captain was voted Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year, the first time a defensive player received that award more than once in a career…Co-winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football with Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark...Ted Hendricks Award finalist (nation’s top defensive end)... Lombardi, Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Ronnie Lott Award candidate...Started all 12 games at left defensive end and contributed on the punt return unit in every game, blocking two attempts while recovering another
that he advanced two yards for a touch-down…Recorded a career-best 64 tackles (42 solos) as he ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 14th in the nation with a team-high 10.5 sacks for minus 98 yards…His 10.5 sacks rank seventh on the school season-record list and his yards-lost total rank third…Led the NCAA with 26.0 stops (second-best in U-M annals) for losses of 127 yards (also second on the school annual record chart)…Had one quarterback pressure and two pass break-ups…Recovered one fumble and caused two others…Made 65 plays vs. the ground game, holding those ball carriers to 30 yards (0.46 ypc), stopping nine runners at the line of scrimmage for no gain, as he made eight third-down stops and had 23 tackles inside the red zone, including eight on goalline plays.

2008 SEASON
All-American third-team choice by The NFL Draft Report, earning honorable mention from Sports Illustrated…Voted by his teammates as the Bo Schembechler Team MVP...All-Big Ten Conference second-team selection by the league’s coaches and media...Started 11 games at left defensive end… Recorded 46 tackles (29 solos) with 10.0 sacks for minus 64 yards, ranking second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in that category…His 10.0 sacks rank eighth on the school seasonrecord list and his lost yardage rank 12th…Finished second in the NCAA while leading the team and conference with 20 stops for losses of 97 yards…His tackles for loss tied for seventh in school annals and his lost yardage rank tenth…Also
caused a pair of fumbles…43.48 percent of his tackles came behind the line of scrimmage, the most of any player in college football during the season.

2007 SEASON
Ted Hendricks Trophy candidate...Played in all 13 contests, starting at right defensive end vs. Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Penn State…Graham’s 8.5 sacks for minus 54 yards led the team and ranked seventh in the Big Ten…Produced 25 tackles (13 solos) with 9.5 stops for losses of 55 yards…His three forced fumbles tied for fourth on the school season-record chart…Recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass…38 percent of his tackles came from behind the line of scrimmage.
 
2006 SEASON
Played in 11 games, lining up at defensive end vs. Vanderbilt before shifting inside to defensive tackle…Finished with three tackles, assisting on a sack while causing a fumble vs. Indiana.

CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.71 in the 40-yard dash…1.61 10-yard dash…2.72 20-yard dash…4.63 20-yard shuttle…7.21 three-cone drill…32-inch vertical jump…9’6” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times…32 ¼-inch arm length…9 7/8-inch hands.
 
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Crockett Vocation Technical (Detroit, Mich.) High School, playing football for head coach Ron Oden...Led the school to its first Detroit Public School League title as a junior and a semi-final appearance in the Division IV playoffs…The four-year starter earned Parade, EA Sports and USA Today All-American first-team honors as a senior…Rated the 14th-best player in the nation by USA Today and Prep Football Report…Was selected Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and was a member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s National Top 25 squad…The Detroit News rated Graham the state’s best blue chip prospect in 2005, as the Detroit Free Press rated him second in the Midwest region…Received a five-star prospect rating from Prep Football Report and Rivals.com, while Prep Star ranked him third among the nation’s linebackers…Also earned Detroit News first-team All-Metro and first-team Class B All-State honors as
a junior…Recorded 307 tackles, including 112 for loss and 56 sacks during his career…Collected 16 fumble recoveries, forced six more and grabbed two interceptions in four years at Crockett…Averaged more than 40 yards per attempt as a punter…Even though he was limited to seven games of action as a senior due to injury, he totaled 98 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, two interceptions and forced six fumbles…As a junior, Graham posted 20.0 sacks and 10 fumble recoveries…Became the first player from the state of Michigan to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl…Elected captain of the East squad for the U.S. Army game, he collected four tackles and one blocked field goal…Lettered in basketball while also throwing the shot put in track, logging a career-best toss of 50-0…Also ran a 10.9 in the 100 meters along with a 23.5 in the 200.

PERSONAL
General Studies major, enrolled in the Division of Kinesiology…Born Brandon Lee Graham on 4/03/88 in Detroit, Michigan.

PLAYER STATISTICS
DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
STATS GP GS TK SO AS FR FC INT TFL PBU SACK BK
2006 10 00 3 1 2 0 1 0-0 0.5- 3 0 0.5- 3 0
2007 13 05 25 13 12 2 3 0-0 9.5- 55 1 8.5-54 0
2008 11 11 46 29 17 0 2 0-0 20.0- 97 0 10.0-64 0
2009 12 12 64 42 22 1 2 0-0 26.0-127 2 10.5-98 2
TOTAL 46 28 138 85 53 0 1 0-0 56.0-282 3 29.5-219 2