April 27, 2025 • 13 mins
New Browns defensive tackle and top pick, Mason Graham from Michigan, joins the BPA! But, he's not alone.... Andrew Siciliano sits down with Mason's family, to talk what drove him as a young football player, and what the team can expect from him. #BPA
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
With the fifth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
The Cleveland Browns select Mason Graham Dee Bets of Taco Michigan.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Wow. Browns fans, welcome in to Wolverine.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Mason Graham, Welcome to Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
What are the last twenty four hours.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Like just really crazy?
Speaker 5 (00:29):
You know it's a long process, obviously, but you know,
everything happens pretty fast, and you know, these last twenty
four hours have been really crazy. You know, it's just
cool just to see my dreams come true and you know,
be in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Take me back to the phone call. Was it a
two one six? Did you recognize it?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I think it was a four to four. Oh, Okay,
that works too. I think it was a four to four.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
And then it was kind of cool. You know, I
was expecting a call, but they actually facetimed me. You know,
I got to see everyone. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
And your initial reaction when you picked up the phone
was ill.
Speaker 5 (00:59):
Man, I kind of had a good feeling, you know,
I was just excited, you know, once I saw the
trade happen, I had a good feeling about you know,
how my visit went, you know how my conversation with
the coaches and you know, everyone in the building went
So I just had a good feeling and I was
waiting for the four to four oh to you know,
come through, and it was just a dream come true
at that point. Once you know, I got the call
from you know, Andrew Berry, and then you know, saw
coach Stefanski and then Coach Schwartz and then coach Jock.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
So, you know, just cool seeing everyone.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You know, again, did you know when the trade went down,
like when the when they traded from two to five,
did you have a feeling it was you at that point?
Speaker 5 (01:32):
I mean I had some I knew I was up
in the running. You know, I didn't know who they else.
You know, they were you know, debating the take. But
you know, I'm glad they picked me. I feel like,
you know, they got one of the best of me.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
And then we caught on video as well with our
great social team there in Green Bay. You looking at
your phone, going all right, Miles Garrett, this is the
only text that I'm really going to respond to. What
did Miles say to you, Mason?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
He just congratulated me.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
You know, he was in my shoes at one point,
So you know, you know, he just knows how it is.
And he just said he's excited work with me, just
like I'm excited to work with him. You know, I
can't wait, you know, for that when that time comes.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
And yeah, let's talk about the number.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
So fifty five is not available yet, fifty five in
high school, you had fifty five. At Michigan, Ethan Postik
has fifty five right now. We saw you sat down
with Corey in the equipment department and you said, let's
talk about a negotiation. He cannot speak for Ethan Posk,
but we could pass a message along. Dude, you want
(02:30):
to negotiate.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
I mean, yeah, I'm willing to negotiate, but I don't
want you know, I don't want it to get out
of control. You know, I'm cool with taking another number,
but you know, hopefully he's you know, open to you know,
maybe even like listen to what I have to say
about it.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
But do you have a number in mind?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Uh? Well, as of now, I have ninety four.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No, No, I mean a number for PO I can offer.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
No, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
I'm gonna go in out first saying ask you if
I can get the number, and then we'll see how
you know, start with that and then see how it
escalates from there.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
All right, but for now it's ninety four, which maybe
you could look good in ninety four, can't you.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
I feel like that was, you know, the other best
option for me. So you know, if worst comes the worst,
that I'm ninety four.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Okay, and worst comes to worse, you know, like ninety four,
you could change it by week one, so you got
a little bit of runway here to figure it out.
Let's talk about the Buckeye thing as well. You were
asked on the podium obviously Michigan man coming here. We
have six buck guys in the locker room right now,
you're cool with it. What would you say to Ohio
State fans about welcoming you the man that kind of
(03:34):
ruined the day after Thanksgiving this past fall.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Yeah, I feel like you know, I feel like Cleveland
so far has embraced me, you know, being a Michigan man.
But you know, I'm ready to hear you know, just
to come here and you know, put our differences aside,
you know in the past that we've had, but you know,
we're all here for the greater cause, you know, we
want to build Cleveland up and you know, win games ultimately.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So like what you said in there, it's for the
betterment of the team, right yeah, all right, the betterment
of the team. Let's talk about the team. Let's talk
about you and teammates. Actually, I think it's an amazingly
cool story because everyone back there in the green room
is like got their hopes and dreams. Right like, you've
worked your whole life, You're at the draft, you have
your family there, and you were ready to leave last night,
(04:14):
but your guy Will Johnson the corner had not yet
been taken. And the story goes, you heard he was
still in there, and then take it from there.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Yeah, I mean I was, you know, every when I
was in the media. After you get picked, you go
do a bunch of media. So I was doing media,
and I was, you know, continually checking out to see,
you know, if Will got picked out. You know, everyone
you know had him written down in the first round,
so you know, this is kind of, you know, worst
case scenario. So you know, once I found out he
was still in there, I wanted to go support him,
just like you know, I know he would support me
(04:44):
in that case.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
All Right, I'm about to come back all right, Yeah,
they're still in the green room. Oh, I just want
to be there for Will.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And you sat there with him the entire night, and
as we see it here right now, the second round
hasn't still. I have no doubt he's going to hear
his name called pretty quickly. And then your high school
team a Ted McMillan. He was taken eighth overall last night.
And I know your family's now moved to Hawaii. After
you went to ann Arbor. You had a lay on
last night that was partly to honor your connection to Hawaii.
(05:16):
Part of it was for tet right as well.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I've always you know, I've
grown up around the Polynesian culture. You know a lot
of my good friends are Polynesian, and you know, my
family moved to Hawaii, so kind of you know, just
bring in Hawaii to you know, Green Bay was kind
of cool for you know, me and t Mac. And
then yeah, my parents will be at his party here
in a few days, but that's too far from me.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
By the way. You know that we the Browns do
play Team Mac and the Panthers in the preseason and
practicing against them as well.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, it's going to be really cool. You know, definitely
get a jersey swap in there, you know, somehow, some way.
But you know, it's always cool. You know, we've always
played on the same team, so now it's gonna be
cool playing on different teams.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
And the dolph on in the regular season for Kenneth
Grant as well.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Same story there.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
You know, we're competitors, we wanna we're gonna want to
outdo each other, but at the end of the day,
you know we're best friends and we're gonna jersey swap
to and you know, chop it up after the game.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I saw something from a year ago in which you said,
you guys are Peanut Butter and Jelly. Is that right?
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Yeah, that was kind of a thing. I think someone else,
you know, gave us that name. But we we had
a little celebration, but we didn't. It didn't end up
going through.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
All right, help me out. Are you Peanut Butter or Jelly?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
We never decided that we were just one or the other?
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Which would you want to be. I feel like it
doesn't like one of those pre draft tests that it
determines your personality.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
I feel like it doesn't really matter. I feel like
there's just you know, just two that go together to
make one.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Makes all the sense in the world. Last thing, you
are a very calm and I mean this in a
in a in a good way, like you're you're a
low key, mild manner dude. Yet the Mason Graham we
see on the football field, that's a different dude. Like
how do you flip the switch? And how does this
guy become that guy?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
People always ask me. You know, it's the question I
get frequently.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
You know, they talk to me, and you know I
can have a simple conversation like this, but you know,
once those now the helmet comes on and the white lines,
I'm playing in between those. You know, it's me versus
you at the end of the day, and then you
know I'm gonna come out on top, you know, almost
every time, if not every time. So that's just always
the way I played the game.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
So you know.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, and because everyone loves two way players here, Mom
and Dad told me that you were running back as
a kid for a minute. Oh yeah, And I do
you want to carry the ball?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I mean, I could carry the ball if they need
me too. You know, I'm going to do anything I can.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I come and do a backfield, both in the backfield
as a defensive backl and maybe carrying the ball as well.
Mason Graham, congratulations again, welcome to Believe. I can't wait
to see you out there on the field.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's one thing to interview the first round pick. It's
another thing to get the story behind the first round pick.
To talk to the family, because Mason Graham wouldn't be
here without Allen him and of course without Grandma because Grandma.
You know, mothers are a necessity. Grandmothers are a luxury. Linda,
(08:08):
My Grandma's always the one to get in before. Welcome
the grand family to Cleveland. How are you guys, great?
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Congratulations, Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
What's the last twenty four hours been like whirlwind?
Speaker 7 (08:20):
Crazy?
Speaker 6 (08:21):
Yeah, it's been crazy. It's been a long time coming.
But I'm glad Mason's you know, Mason is glad that
it's come to an end. At least he knows where
he's going to go play and who he's going to
go win with.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Grandma what do you think.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
It's unbelievable but believable at the same time. It's something
he's worked for for a long time.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Let's talk about the work. Because you don't get here overnight.
You also don't get here without a support system like
this obviously taking him to soccer practice and rugby practice
and football practice. What has this journey been like for
all of you?
Speaker 6 (08:55):
It's been amazing, you know for us. You know Mason,
you know, he's an active kid growing up, so he's
played every sport on the sun, just as the sports
that you just listed. So he was pretty special, you
know it. You know, you can tell early on that
he was a little bit different. You know, you don't
know how different or how far they can go, you
know what I mean a good way, in a good way. Well,
(09:18):
you know, just you know, killing it on the field,
and you can see he's better than the majority of
the kids out there, and so but you know, you
might be a little bit biased in your mind, you think,
but when you start getting feedback from the other parents
and so you start to like, oh, maybe he's got
a shot maybe down the road.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
When did you know.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
When he went to high school and he was playing
in the Trinity League, which is, you know, the top
league in the country for high school sports, and just
to see the gradual level of what he was capable
of doing in the games, and then having to play
both ways. You know, he had to learn offensive line also,
(09:57):
So it was just we saw that, you know, Okay,
he took it to a whole other level and getting
those first offers, it was just like, Okay, he's going
to the next level. Now, this is really happening.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Saw a picture of him as a running back as
a kid. Is that real?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
He grew up, so he started he always was a
running back and middle linebacker. That's what he played all
the way up till eighth grade.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
And then when he went to high.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
School, he was like, oh, I'm going to be I
want to play linebackers still, and they said, well, your
Bill isn't cut out to be a linebacker anymore. You're
gonna have to learn defensive line, and so he went
with it. I mean, he loves defense though, that's.
Speaker 7 (10:40):
He loves hitting. He loves that's just him.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So yeh, but Linda, you'd like to see him carry
the football. I'm assuming ring I.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Can tell you a cute story. So his first sport
was pee wee soccer, and it was with girls and
with boys, and so we put him on the field,
and he always watched football on dad's life, so he
thought he was playing football. So he grabs the soccer
ball like this, and he's running for the touchdown with
one arm out and he knocked down every kid that
(11:10):
got in his way, and the parents were just having
a fit. So the coach came over and and so
Kim is going alan get him off the field. He's
gonna hurt somebody, and his grandpa would saying no, no,
let him go.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
And then the coach.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Came over and said he's in the wrong sport.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So that was his last game.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
He wasn't sign him up for.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Football after that, and I think it worked out. Okay,
how do you think coming from Michigan. He was just
asked the question of the podium. He's going to adjust
now as the Michigan man in a state full of Buckeyes. Dad,
what do we think?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Oh, he's gonna be fine. But you know, college is
you know, is done, you know what I mean? So
you got new teammates wherever you're going to go. So
he understands that. You know, he's with his agency that
he's with, you know, Will Howard is with the same agent.
Agency at the combine they met it, you know, Metigan
and and you know, wapped it up whatever, everything's watered
(12:10):
under the bridge. And he did the same thing too
at the combine with with what's his name, the Jack
Sawyer Jack.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Like, we're onto the next chapter now.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
And you've traded your Michigan gear now obviously for Brown's gears.
Speaker 7 (12:27):
We just got a bag. But we got a bag.
I just I just need to get a sticker from
my car now, So we work.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
On the sticker.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
We'll get you the sticker.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
And the question now is because you guys, after Mason
went off to ann Arbor, you guys moved to Hawaii.
You guys are in Oahu, So what's that commute going
to be like? And we see you at Huntington bank
Field coming up this fall?
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Oh yeah, most definitely, most definitely, I think uh, I
think Mom and Graham are I think training planning to
go to London this year in London. So it looks
like they probably will go to London.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We'll have to bring sister along to Oh yeah, my daughter,
there's there's a game in London.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
We'll see you there. And just so you know, Cleveland
weather is exactly like the North Shore exactly. You guys
are gonna lost.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Sure, we'll be.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We'll be in a lot of games though, but we've
got to go to our boys, younger boys games too,
so it will be a good balance.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The dog Pound is going to be rocking for your son,
and I can't wait for you guys to experience it
this fall.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
Can't wait.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Gratulations again, Alan Kim Lindon. Great to meet you all.
Speaker 6 (13:29):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Thank you
With the fifth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
The Cleveland Browns select Mason Graham Dee Bets of Taco Michigan.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Wow. Browns fans, welcome in to Wolverine.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Mason Graham, Welcome to Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
What are the last twenty four hours.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
Like just really crazy?
Speaker 5 (00:29):
You know it's a long process, obviously, but you know,
everything happens pretty fast, and you know, these last twenty
four hours have been really crazy. You know, it's just
cool just to see my dreams come true and you know,
be in Cleveland.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Take me back to the phone call. Was it a
two one six? Did you recognize it?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
I think it was a four to four. Oh, Okay,
that works too. I think it was a four to four.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Oh.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
And then it was kind of cool. You know, I
was expecting a call, but they actually facetimed me. You know,
I got to see everyone. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
And your initial reaction when you picked up the phone
was ill.
Speaker 5 (00:59):
Man, I kind of had a good feeling, you know,
I was just excited, you know, once I saw the
trade happen, I had a good feeling about you know,
how my visit went, you know how my conversation with
the coaches and you know, everyone in the building went
So I just had a good feeling and I was
waiting for the four to four oh to you know,
come through, and it was just a dream come true
at that point. Once you know, I got the call
from you know, Andrew Berry, and then you know, saw
coach Stefanski and then Coach Schwartz and then coach Jock.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
So, you know, just cool seeing everyone.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You know, again, did you know when the trade went down,
like when the when they traded from two to five,
did you have a feeling it was you at that point?
Speaker 5 (01:32):
I mean I had some I knew I was up
in the running. You know, I didn't know who they else.
You know, they were you know, debating the take. But
you know, I'm glad they picked me. I feel like,
you know, they got one of the best of me.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
And then we caught on video as well with our
great social team there in Green Bay. You looking at
your phone, going all right, Miles Garrett, this is the
only text that I'm really going to respond to. What
did Miles say to you, Mason?
Speaker 4 (01:53):
He just congratulated me.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
You know, he was in my shoes at one point,
So you know, you know, he just knows how it is.
And he just said he's excited work with me, just
like I'm excited to work with him. You know, I
can't wait, you know, for that when that time comes.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
And yeah, let's talk about the number.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
So fifty five is not available yet, fifty five in
high school, you had fifty five. At Michigan, Ethan Postik
has fifty five right now. We saw you sat down
with Corey in the equipment department and you said, let's
talk about a negotiation. He cannot speak for Ethan Posk,
but we could pass a message along. Dude, you want
(02:30):
to negotiate.
Speaker 5 (02:31):
I mean, yeah, I'm willing to negotiate, but I don't
want you know, I don't want it to get out
of control. You know, I'm cool with taking another number,
but you know, hopefully he's you know, open to you know,
maybe even like listen to what I have to say
about it.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
But do you have a number in mind?
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Uh? Well, as of now, I have ninety four.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No, No, I mean a number for PO I can offer.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
No, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 5 (02:54):
I'm gonna go in out first saying ask you if
I can get the number, and then we'll see how
you know, start with that and then see how it
escalates from there.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
All right, but for now it's ninety four, which maybe
you could look good in ninety four, can't you.
Speaker 5 (03:07):
I feel like that was, you know, the other best
option for me. So you know, if worst comes the worst,
that I'm ninety four.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Okay, and worst comes to worse, you know, like ninety four,
you could change it by week one, so you got
a little bit of runway here to figure it out.
Let's talk about the Buckeye thing as well. You were
asked on the podium obviously Michigan man coming here. We
have six buck guys in the locker room right now,
you're cool with it. What would you say to Ohio
State fans about welcoming you the man that kind of
(03:34):
ruined the day after Thanksgiving this past fall.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Yeah, I feel like you know, I feel like Cleveland
so far has embraced me, you know, being a Michigan man.
But you know, I'm ready to hear you know, just
to come here and you know, put our differences aside,
you know in the past that we've had, but you know,
we're all here for the greater cause, you know, we
want to build Cleveland up and you know, win games ultimately.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So like what you said in there, it's for the
betterment of the team, right yeah, all right, the betterment
of the team. Let's talk about the team. Let's talk
about you and teammates. Actually, I think it's an amazingly
cool story because everyone back there in the green room
is like got their hopes and dreams. Right like, you've
worked your whole life, You're at the draft, you have
your family there, and you were ready to leave last night,
(04:14):
but your guy Will Johnson the corner had not yet
been taken. And the story goes, you heard he was
still in there, and then take it from there.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
Yeah, I mean I was, you know, every when I
was in the media. After you get picked, you go
do a bunch of media. So I was doing media,
and I was, you know, continually checking out to see,
you know, if Will got picked out. You know, everyone
you know had him written down in the first round,
so you know, this is kind of, you know, worst
case scenario. So you know, once I found out he
was still in there, I wanted to go support him,
just like you know, I know he would support me
(04:44):
in that case.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
All Right, I'm about to come back all right, Yeah,
they're still in the green room. Oh, I just want
to be there for Will.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And you sat there with him the entire night, and
as we see it here right now, the second round
hasn't still. I have no doubt he's going to hear
his name called pretty quickly. And then your high school
team a Ted McMillan. He was taken eighth overall last night.
And I know your family's now moved to Hawaii. After
you went to ann Arbor. You had a lay on
last night that was partly to honor your connection to Hawaii.
(05:16):
Part of it was for tet right as well.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I've always you know, I've
grown up around the Polynesian culture. You know a lot
of my good friends are Polynesian, and you know, my
family moved to Hawaii, so kind of you know, just
bring in Hawaii to you know, Green Bay was kind
of cool for you know, me and t Mac. And
then yeah, my parents will be at his party here
in a few days, but that's too far from me.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
By the way. You know that we the Browns do
play Team Mac and the Panthers in the preseason and
practicing against them as well.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, it's going to be really cool. You know, definitely
get a jersey swap in there, you know, somehow, some way.
But you know, it's always cool. You know, we've always
played on the same team, so now it's gonna be
cool playing on different teams.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
And the dolph on in the regular season for Kenneth
Grant as well.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Same story there.
Speaker 5 (06:04):
You know, we're competitors, we wanna we're gonna want to
outdo each other, but at the end of the day,
you know we're best friends and we're gonna jersey swap
to and you know, chop it up after the game.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I saw something from a year ago in which you said,
you guys are Peanut Butter and Jelly. Is that right?
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Yeah, that was kind of a thing. I think someone else,
you know, gave us that name. But we we had
a little celebration, but we didn't. It didn't end up
going through.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
All right, help me out. Are you Peanut Butter or Jelly?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
We never decided that we were just one or the other?
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Which would you want to be. I feel like it
doesn't like one of those pre draft tests that it
determines your personality.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
I feel like it doesn't really matter. I feel like
there's just you know, just two that go together to
make one.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Makes all the sense in the world. Last thing, you
are a very calm and I mean this in a
in a in a good way, like you're you're a
low key, mild manner dude. Yet the Mason Graham we
see on the football field, that's a different dude. Like
how do you flip the switch? And how does this
guy become that guy?
Speaker 4 (07:03):
People always ask me. You know, it's the question I
get frequently.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
You know, they talk to me, and you know I
can have a simple conversation like this, but you know,
once those now the helmet comes on and the white lines,
I'm playing in between those. You know, it's me versus
you at the end of the day, and then you
know I'm gonna come out on top, you know, almost
every time, if not every time. So that's just always
the way I played the game.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
So you know.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Yeah, and because everyone loves two way players here, Mom
and Dad told me that you were running back as
a kid for a minute. Oh yeah, And I do
you want to carry the ball?
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I mean, I could carry the ball if they need
me too. You know, I'm going to do anything I can.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I come and do a backfield, both in the backfield
as a defensive backl and maybe carrying the ball as well.
Mason Graham, congratulations again, welcome to Believe. I can't wait
to see you out there on the field.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's one thing to interview the first round pick. It's
another thing to get the story behind the first round pick.
To talk to the family, because Mason Graham wouldn't be
here without Allen him and of course without Grandma because Grandma.
You know, mothers are a necessity. Grandmothers are a luxury. Linda,
(08:08):
My Grandma's always the one to get in before. Welcome
the grand family to Cleveland. How are you guys, great?
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Congratulations, Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
What's the last twenty four hours been like whirlwind?
Speaker 7 (08:20):
Crazy?
Speaker 6 (08:21):
Yeah, it's been crazy. It's been a long time coming.
But I'm glad Mason's you know, Mason is glad that
it's come to an end. At least he knows where
he's going to go play and who he's going to
go win with.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Grandma what do you think.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
It's unbelievable but believable at the same time. It's something
he's worked for for a long time.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Let's talk about the work. Because you don't get here overnight.
You also don't get here without a support system like
this obviously taking him to soccer practice and rugby practice
and football practice. What has this journey been like for
all of you?
Speaker 6 (08:55):
It's been amazing, you know for us. You know Mason,
you know, he's an active kid growing up, so he's
played every sport on the sun, just as the sports
that you just listed. So he was pretty special, you
know it. You know, you can tell early on that
he was a little bit different. You know, you don't
know how different or how far they can go, you
know what I mean a good way, in a good way. Well,
(09:18):
you know, just you know, killing it on the field,
and you can see he's better than the majority of
the kids out there, and so but you know, you
might be a little bit biased in your mind, you think,
but when you start getting feedback from the other parents
and so you start to like, oh, maybe he's got
a shot maybe down the road.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
When did you know.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
When he went to high school and he was playing
in the Trinity League, which is, you know, the top
league in the country for high school sports, and just
to see the gradual level of what he was capable
of doing in the games, and then having to play
both ways. You know, he had to learn offensive line also,
(09:57):
So it was just we saw that, you know, Okay,
he took it to a whole other level and getting
those first offers, it was just like, Okay, he's going
to the next level. Now, this is really happening.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
So yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Saw a picture of him as a running back as
a kid. Is that real?
Speaker 3 (10:15):
He grew up, so he started he always was a
running back and middle linebacker. That's what he played all
the way up till eighth grade.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
And then when he went to high.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
School, he was like, oh, I'm going to be I
want to play linebackers still, and they said, well, your
Bill isn't cut out to be a linebacker anymore. You're
gonna have to learn defensive line, and so he went
with it. I mean, he loves defense though, that's.
Speaker 7 (10:40):
He loves hitting. He loves that's just him.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So yeh, but Linda, you'd like to see him carry
the football. I'm assuming ring I.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Can tell you a cute story. So his first sport
was pee wee soccer, and it was with girls and
with boys, and so we put him on the field,
and he always watched football on dad's life, so he
thought he was playing football. So he grabs the soccer
ball like this, and he's running for the touchdown with
one arm out and he knocked down every kid that
(11:10):
got in his way, and the parents were just having
a fit. So the coach came over and and so
Kim is going alan get him off the field. He's
gonna hurt somebody, and his grandpa would saying no, no,
let him go.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
And then the coach.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Came over and said he's in the wrong sport.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
So that was his last game.
Speaker 7 (11:32):
He wasn't sign him up for.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Football after that, and I think it worked out. Okay,
how do you think coming from Michigan. He was just
asked the question of the podium. He's going to adjust
now as the Michigan man in a state full of Buckeyes. Dad,
what do we think?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
Oh, he's gonna be fine. But you know, college is
you know, is done, you know what I mean? So
you got new teammates wherever you're going to go. So
he understands that. You know, he's with his agency that
he's with, you know, Will Howard is with the same agent.
Agency at the combine they met it, you know, Metigan
and and you know, wapped it up whatever, everything's watered
(12:10):
under the bridge. And he did the same thing too
at the combine with with what's his name, the Jack
Sawyer Jack.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Like, we're onto the next chapter now.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
And you've traded your Michigan gear now obviously for Brown's gears.
Speaker 7 (12:27):
We just got a bag. But we got a bag.
I just I just need to get a sticker from
my car now, So we work.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
On the sticker.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
We'll get you the sticker.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
And the question now is because you guys, after Mason
went off to ann Arbor, you guys moved to Hawaii.
You guys are in Oahu, So what's that commute going
to be like? And we see you at Huntington bank
Field coming up this fall?
Speaker 6 (12:47):
Oh yeah, most definitely, most definitely, I think uh, I
think Mom and Graham are I think training planning to
go to London this year in London. So it looks
like they probably will go to London.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
We'll have to bring sister along to Oh yeah, my daughter,
there's there's a game in London.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
We'll see you there. And just so you know, Cleveland
weather is exactly like the North Shore exactly. You guys
are gonna lost.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Sure, we'll be.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
We'll be in a lot of games though, but we've
got to go to our boys, younger boys games too,
so it will be a good balance.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
The dog Pound is going to be rocking for your son,
and I can't wait for you guys to experience it
this fall.
Speaker 6 (13:24):
Can't wait.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Gratulations again, Alan Kim Lindon. Great to meet you all.
Speaker 6 (13:29):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Thank you
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