Graves is a fascinating contradiction: one of the most productive interior pass rushers in the Big Ten over the last two years whose tape shows a player who still hasn't put it all together technically. The wrestling background gives him an edge in hand combat and initial contact, and his 85.9 PFF pass rush grade screams legitimate interior disruption — but the 54.1 run defense grade and persistent waist-bending mechanics explain why he wasn't invited to the Combine despite 16.5 career sacks. At 6-5, 295 with legitimate quickness off the snap, the physical tools are there for a pass-rush specialist role on Sundays if a coaching staff can fix the pad level and expand his counter repertoire beyond the bull rush. He's the kind of guy who shows up on film as a UDFA signee, flashes in camp, and ends up making a 53-man roster because interior pressure is hard to find — but the floor is a camp body who can't hold up against the run.
- Elite-level interior pass rush production: PFF's 8th-ranked pass rush grade among 885 DIs despite modest overall profile suggests legitimate disruption ability from the inside
- Wrestling background translates to effective hand fighting and balance at initial contact, giving him early leverage advantages in one-on-one pass rush situations
- Good size (6-5, 295) with solid quickness and agility for his frame — can stem pass rush moves and set up inside-outside counter lanes
- Exceptional durability and availability: started 38 career games with 52 total games played across four seasons at Iowa
- High-character, high-IQ prospect — William V. Campbell Trophy finalist with a 4.03 GPA, team captain, and mature leader
- Waist-bender rather than knee-bender, which chronically undermines his pad level, balance, and ability to maintain gap integrity against the run
- Severely limited run defense: PFF run defense grade of 54.1 (817th of 885 DIs) — gets washed out by combo blocks and loses gap control against offensive linemen with good leverage
- Hands are frequently late and wide as both a run defender and pass-rusher, exposing his chest plate and allowing linemen to lock him out
- Narrow pass-rush repertoire — relies heavily on bull rush with limited counter moves, creating predictability that NFL guards will exploit
Bleacher Report explicitly comps him to former Iowa teammate Logan Lee (5.6 grade, drafted 2024) — similar size, Iowa system product, interior pass-rush ability that outpaces his overall game. Both are high-motor, technically raw interior linemen whose pass-rush upside exceeds their run-defense floor.