Thomas

Graham Jr.

Graham, who was thought to be a favorite for nickel duties in Chicago at one point in training camp, was released at last cuts and signed to the Bears practice squad. He didn’t play at all in the preseason, but had a 90.6 PFF coverage rating in 59 coverage snaps for the Bears last year. The Browns had an empty roster spot after waiving CB Herb Miller.

Graham didn’t play much last season -- only 112 snaps -- but flashed his skills in a start against the Vikings where he compiled a 91.7 PFF coverage rating. The smallish corner started all three of his seasons at Oregon and it makes all the sense in the world for the rebuilding Bears to give him hundreds of snaps to see if he can be part of their future.

Graham (5'10/192) is a prospect who never quite lived up to the hype he received early in his career. As a true freshman in 2017, Graham started all but one game and earned three interceptions. He followed up the following season with a stunning 18 passes defended and second-team All-PAC 12 honors. However, some of Graham’s athletic limitations with respect to translating to the NFL, as evidenced by a 7.08-second three-cone drill and sub-40th percentile jumps, became clear during his junior season. Griffin then opted out of the 2020 season. Graham could develop into a solid zone cornerback in a few years’ time.

Graham (5'11/197) could have theoretically waited for the Ducks to play a spring season, but rather than wade through that uncertainty, he’s instead cutting to the chase with a draft declaration. This past season, he logged 64 tackles (5.0 for loss), two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a fumble forced over the course of 14 games played. A Day 3 selection could be in the future cards for the cornerback if he can ace the draft evaluation process. As for Oregon, the team we’ll be seeing next (whenever that might be) is going to look notably different than the one that would have started a traditional fall 2020 campaign. Not only has the team lost Graham, but also fellow CB Deommodore Lenoir and superstar T Penei Sewell. The real saving grace for Oregon is that the program will have time to figure out how to paper over for these losses.

Graham (5'11/197) played in all 14 games for the Pac-12 champion Ducks this season, accounting for 64 total tackles (5.0 for loss), one forced fumble, two interceptions and ten pass breakups. A second team all-conference pick by Pro Football Focus, the junior cornerback was an honorable mention selection by the Pac-12 coaches. Graham will once again rate among the top cornerbacks in the Pac-12 next season, and his decision to return is great news for HC Mario Cristobal. Pro Football Network gave Graham a sixth round grade ahead of the Rose Bowl.

Rivals recruiting analyst Adam Gorney wrote that Graham’s visit to Oregon “could be a crucial trip for many reasons.” Gorney notes that Oregon has had success in reeling in recruits of a similar stock to the 5-foot-10, 173-pound Californian during this current cycle, specifically citing Deommodore Lenoir and Jaylon Redd. “In a similar mold,” the analyst writes, “Graham is a super fast, dynamic defensive back who could also be used in other ways.” Rivals ranks Graham as their No. 68 overall prospect for the 2017 cycle.

Graham was also considering potential commitments to Arizona, Arizona State, Notre Dame, Nebraska and UCLA. He sided with the Ducks in part because of the program’s recent hires of HC Willie Taggart and DC Jim Leavitt. “Taggart, everybody is new, and everybody gets a fresh start,” Graham said. “The [defensive coordinator] that he just picked up has been by my high school and he was there when I started to get recruited.” Rivals recruiting analyst Adam Gorney notes that the 5-foot-10, 173-pounder is “an athletic, smooth defensive back.” Gorney’s outlet ranks him as the No. 110 overall prospect for the 2017 cycle.

Tucker writes that Graham is "[s]mooth and fluid in movements to match up in man” and that the 5-foot-10, 173-pound corner “will explode with effective burst and limited wasted steps on underneath routes in zone.” Graham opted to side with new HC Willie Taggart’s cause late last week. He stands as ESPN 300’s No. 44 overall prospect for the 2016 cycle. Tucker comps him to former Virginia Tech standout Kendall Fuller due to a “similar closing speed” and his “intangibles in regards to reading offenses and producing in multiple spots.” How Taggart closes out this recruiting class is something to watch. Graham is just the third ESPN 300 name on the Ducks’ ledger, but Taggart brings a breath of fresh air that could draw a few targets who find the idea of helping to reboot the Ducks an appealing one.

“He’s just a competitor from day one. He hasn’t backed down from nobody. We just love that toughness,” Robinson said. “That brings something different from our defense that we haven’t had in a long time; just coming with that swag.” Over at FanRag Sports, Kyle Kensing believes that we should "[l]ook for the [Graham] to bookend veteran Arrion Springs in the Duck secondary.” The 5-foot-10, 173-pounder was a four-star recruit for the 2017 cycle, ranking as Rivals’ No. 127 overall prospect. ESPN’s Billy Tucker has compared Graham to former Virginia Tech CB Kendall Fuller due to their similar abilities to close out on wideouts, as well as their general intangibles in reading the field.

Graham (5'10/173) has been one of the top freshman performers in the country, having logged 14 tackles, two interceptions and two passes defended in three games. Said Taggart, “Highly competitive when playing the game, very smart and did it consistently (from spring practice onward). I’m just proud he’s being consistent, and knowing he can only get better is good.” Graham ranked as Rivals’ No. 127 overall prospect in the 2017 cycle and has been comped to former Virginia Tech CB Kendall Fuller due to his spacial awareness on the field, as well as his aces closing speed.