/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68565395/1041478654.0.jpg)
One of the more beloved Michigan players of the Jim Harbaugh era is getting a chance to state his case to NFL organizations next month.
Fullback Ben Mason is headed to the Senior Bowl after accepting their invitation.
Please welcome FB Ben Mason (@benchmason42) from @UMichFootball to the 2021 @Reeses Senior Bowl!!! #GoBlue#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE #BestOfTheBest@JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/S1h7lxkjLu
— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) December 22, 2020
Mason’s most productive season at Michigan was in 2018, where he totaled 7 rushing touchdowns. With the hiring of offensive coordinator of Josh Gattis in 2019, the offensive philosophy changed as did Mason’s snap count due to the FB being phased out of the offense. It was a shame not to see Mason more on offense that past two seasons, as he appeared to be one of the best fullbacks in college football and a clear difference maker as a blocker.
“Ben Mason is one of them old time football players, and that’s what you want as a fullback,” ESPN analyst Phil Steele told Maize n Brew back in 2019. “You look at the size he’s got, he’s played on the defensive line, I like that factor, and he’s gonna play a little bit there as well. I think if you’re an NFL scout and you’re looking at Ben Mason. He’s your tough, hard nosed guy you wanna bring in there.”
Proof that Ben Mason has the two coolest catches of any FB with two career catches in the history of this great game. @benchmason42 | @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/9zafpeaSK4
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) October 26, 2020
Mason doesn’t have a ton of tape the past two years, but his ranking as one of, if not the best fullback in the 2021 NFL Draft shows how teams already view him. “This one was one was a no-brainer,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said about inviting Mason. “Trevor Lawrence and Ben Mason might be the only indisputable best players at their respective positions in 2021 draft. Football is just better with a fullback.”
Nagy’s had his eye on Mason for some time, as you can see in the tweet from 2018 below he called Mason a target for the 2021 Senior Bowl.
Ridiculous ST play by @UMichFootball soph FB #42 Ben Mason on kickoff cover. Runs thru 3 blocks and makes tackle. As a scout, you can go an entire fall watching ST tape and never see that. That’s the kind plays that get fullbacks drafted. Early target for ‘21 @seniorbowl. pic.twitter.com/9Oirf30WZ0
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) November 3, 2018
The Senior Bowl is on January 30 in Mobile, Alabama at 2:30 PM ET