While he’s now one year removed from leaving Ann Arbor, Michigan, to lead the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers, former Michigan head coach John Harbaugh couldn’t help but praise his former players following the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jim Harbaugh Beams With Pride as Wolverines Make NFL Draft History
Jim Harbaugh isn’t in charge of the Michigan Wolverines anymore, but his ties with the program will always run deep. Now the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Harbaugh watched three of his former players—Mason Graham, Colston Loveland, and Kenneth Grant—get drafted in the first round of last weekend’s 2025 NFL Draft.
The feat tied a 1995 and 2001 Michigan record for the most players selected in the first round. In that draft, Tyrone Wheatley, Ty Law, and Trezelle Jenkins went early on. David Terrell, Steve Hutchinson, and Jeff Backus were first-round choices in 2001.
“Just awfully, awfully proud of them—personally and everybody at Michigan,” Harbaugh said. “I texted (current Michigan head coach) Sherrone (Moore); I know he’s proud.”
Graham, a unanimous first-team All-American defensive tackle last season, went No. 5 overall to the Cleveland Browns. He was the program’s third-highest drafted defensive standout since the AFL-NFL merger, behind Aidan Hutchinson (No. 2, Detroit Lions, 2022) and Charles Woodson (No. 4, Oakland Raiders, 1998).
The Chicago Bears picked up Loveland, a two-time All-Big Ten tight end, at No. 10, a surprise to many, being that Penn State’s Tyler Warren was available. Grant arrived with the Miami Dolphins via the No. 13 overall selection.
During a pre-draft interview with Yahoo Sports, Harbaugh said that he would’ve loved to draft one of his former players, but touched upon the fact that it was more likely they wound up elsewhere.
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“They’re like beloved sons,” Harbaugh told his former pupils. “You look at the players, and it’s like, you get one pick every 32 picks. You can see who the good players are, and you will most likely be playing against them. That’s just the math of it all.”
Jim Harbaugh’s team wound up taking North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton with the No. 22 overall pick, pairing him with free agent pickup Najee Harris.
Along with the feat that Graham, Loveland, and Grant accomplished, the Wolverines have had a player called in the first round in seven consecutive drafts, setting a new high-water mark. They’ve had 23 players go within the first 10 turns of the draft all-time.
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