Garrett Graham

TE, FB/H-BACK · Wisconsin
With his initial quickness, few inside-the-box defenders can mirror Graham's movements coming off the snap. He seems to be at his best making the difficult catch in the clutch, as 92 of his 121 career receptions produced first downs (76.03%). On those 121 grabs, he converted 37 third-down plays. Graham found the end zone 16 times during his career, but his big-play ability resulted in the Badgers recording 39 touchdowns and 10 field goals, thanks to his crucial receptions. He hauled down 66.48 percent of the balls thrown into his area (121-of-182), proving to have great hands, as he dropped just five passes targeted to him (opponents deflected 15 other tosses). He also developed into a great safety valve for Wisconsin quarterbacks, making 22 of his receptions inside the red zone, with 13 of them coming on goal-line plays. At Memorial High School, Graham was twice named to the Associated Press, Newark Star-Ledger and Gannett News All-State teams. He was a New Jersey Top 25 and National Top 35 prospect selection, earning a four-star rating from Rivals.com. Super Prep rated him the 26th-best over-all prospect in the nation, as he was also chosen for Prep Football's All-East Top 60 list. Graham excelled on both sides of the ball, lining up at tight end and defensive end. He also handled place-kicking and punting chores. The two-time team captain and MVP pulled down 25 passes for 604 yards (24.16-yard average) and 10 touchdowns, adding field goals for distances of 45 and 47 yards as a senior. He would close out his prep career with 2,031 yards and 21 touchdowns on 96 receptions (21.16-yard average). Graham arrived on Wisconsin's campus as a 225-pound tight end recruit in 2005, but spent the season with the scout team. He appeared briefly vs. Minnesota and Buffalo in 2006 before going on to see his most extensive action that season in the Capital One Bowl vs. Arkansas. As a sophomore, Graham started 10-of-13 games for the Badgers. He finished second on the team with 30 receptions, good for 328 yards (10.93-yard average), as his four touchdown grabs also ranked second on the squad. 24 of his catches produced first downs, as he converted 12 third-down throws and one more on fourth-down action, coming up with big plays that led to seven UW touchdown drives and three other possessions that ended with field goals. A relative unknown when fall camp began, Graham was thrust into reps with the first-team offense when Beckum missed multiple practices with an injury. Living up to the team motto of "Next Man In," Graham, according to the coaches, became one of the most impressive players in camp, showing off his superb locking, pass catching and surprising speed. Graham was named All-Big Ten Conference first-team by the media in 2008. With Paul Hubbard graduated and Travis Beckum injured, the junior was more than up to the task of being Wisconsin's featured receiver, as he ranked eighth in the nation among tight ends with a team-high 40 receptions for 540 yards (13.5-yard average) and five touchdowns. He came up with clutch catches to set up ten touchdown drives and three field goals, turning 28 of his grabs into first downs. Nine of those catches converted third-down plays and 11 of his snatches were for 20 yards or longer. With Beckum in the NFL, Graham went on to start every game in 2009, despite being hampered midseason due to a concussion suffered in the Iowa clash. The team MVP pulled down a career-high 51 passes for 624 yards and seven touchdowns. He made seven of his catches inside the red zone and had key receptions that led to 18 touchdown drives and three field goals by the Badgers.

Recent Garrett Graham Notes

Polzin: The great tight end debate settles best Wisconsin No. 84