Todd Graham being selective with job options, shares NFL Draft thoughts

Todd Graham may not be the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils anymore, but he’s still up at 9 p.m. watching film.

That is what the former coach told Doug and Wolf on 98.7 Arizona’s Sports Station on Thursday morning.

“I want to be a head football coach. I want to run a program,” Graham said.

Graham, who was fired by ASU in December following a 7-6 season, said he has had opportunities as a coordinator and as an analyst on TV.

“I’ve been very selective. I’ll only get involved with people who have the same philosophical belief that I have. I’m chomping at the bit to be back on the sideline and impacting young people,” Graham said.

Graham said that part of his time off was spent at the NFL Combine with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Through his time at the combine and coaching against several of NFL Draft prospects in the Pac-12, the coach has developed some opinions on the projected picks, especially at the quarterback position.

“Hands down the most talented player is Josh Rosen,” Graham said.

But that doesn’t mean he would pick Rosen if he had the choice.

“If I was a team and I was drafting, out of all the quarterbacks, I would choose between (Sam) Darnold and (Baker) Mayfield. I think Mayfield has a lot of Drew Brees in him,” the coach said.

The former head coach also had some high praise for running back Kalen Ballage, who Graham coached from 2013-2017 at ASU.

“He is a very, very uniquely talent young man. His ability as a receiver, he is probably as natural of a route runner as any back,” Graham said.

Ballage is ranked as a top-100 prospect by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.

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