Michigan Wolverines football fullback Ben Mason was the final pick of the fifth round of the NFL Draft today, coming off the board at No. 184 overall to the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens are of course coached by John Harbaugh, who is U-M head man Jim Harbaugh's brother.
Mason was the sixth Wolverine to hear his name called, joining defensive end Kwity Paye (first round to the Indianapolis Colts), offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield (third round to the Atlanta Falcons), wideout Nico Collins (third round to the Houston Texans), cornerback Ambry Thomas (third round to the San Francisco 49ers) and linebacker Cameron McGrone (fifth round to the New England Patriots).
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"They know exactly what they’re getting — they’re getting one of the toughest dudes in the entire draft," ESPN's Todd McShay said of the selection "He was a two-time recipient of the team’s toughest player award — in 2017 and 2019. I don’t know what happened in 2018 [laughs].
"Forty-five games at Michigan, four starts at defensive tackle — he’s not just a fullback, he played defensive tackle too. He’s never been a big ball carrier — maybe short-yardage you can get it to him — but you can move him around as kind of that move fullback who’s going to be a great blocker, and he will absolutely knock your head off as a kick-cover guy on special teams."
"A Wolverine helping a Buckeye, with [second-year Ravens running back] J.K. Dobbins now," ESPN's Mel Kiper briefly added.
“What are the Ravens about? Would this be the year they draft a bunch of small guys? No, they went and got a fullback/tight end who is the classic Jack Harbaugh-type," NFL Network's Peter Schrager exclaimed.
"They called him Bench Mason at Michigan. When you have [tight end Nick] Boyle and [fullback] Patrick Ricard and now you add another tight end/fullback, it’s a statement. We understand you guys think the [offensive coordinator] Greg Roman offense has seen its best days and you think it’s time to move on, but the Ravens doubled down with this pick and said we’re going to get another tight end/fullback who will smash you in the face.
"I like it when the Ravens go out and don’t use their words to tell you what they’re about. In a [Patrick] Mahomesian world where everyone has [small wideouts like] Tyreek Hill and Tutu Atwell at 145 pounds, they’re drafting Ben Mason, who will make an immediate impact.
"He’s not a Jim or John Harbaugh-type, but a Jack Harbaugh-type.”
Mason was admittedly a fan favorite of Harbaugh's during his four years at Michigan, thanks to his 'team-first' mentality and hard-nosed playing style. The former was on full display early in the 2019 campaign, when, despite standing just 6-3, 270, at the time, he provided some help at defensive tackle for a short time when the club needed help at the spot.
He originally came to Ann Arbor as a three-star prospect from Newton, Conn., and earned the team's 'Toughest Player Award' as a freshman in 2017. He carried the ball just three times that year, but scored two touchdowns on those three carries.
Mason saw his rushing workload increase as a sophomore in 2018, racking up 80 yards and seven touchdowns on just 33 carries.
The 2019 season is when the U-M coaches experimented with Mason on the defensive line, before he was eventually moved back to offense for good. He only rushed once for three yards on the year, but continued to serve as an effective blocker and once again earned the club's 'Toughest Player Award' at season's end.
As a senior in 2020, Mason added two receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown to his resume, while again primarily serving as a punishing blocker. He was also voted a captain by his teammates heading into the year.
Mason ended his U-M tenure with four starts (three at fullback and one at defensive tackle) and 45 total appearances.
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