CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After pouring in 19 factors for Coastal Carolina in a first-round loss to Southern Miss within the Solar Belt Convention event on March 4, Colin Granger went again to the staff resort in Pensacola, Fla., to have dinner along with his dad and mom and talk about his future.
In soccer.
Granger had instructed Chanticleers coach Justin Grey that if Coastal went on an surprising run within the convention tourney, it will be his signal that he would proceed his basketball profession abroad, the place he had a number of presents from skilled groups.
If not, Granger would turn out to be the primary consumer of George Fant, the 10-year NFL veteran who was beginning a enterprise wherein he identifies and trains school basketball gamers he believes could make the soar to the NFL — a transition Fant made in 2016 after leaving Western Kentucky.
So when the Chants had been bounced within the opening spherical in Pensacola, Granger talked it over along with his dad and mom earlier than calling Fant and telling him he was on board. A month later, Granger labored out for 5 NFL groups at a non-public professional day at his Atlanta-area highschool. And three days after that exercise, Granger signed with the Carolina Panthers as a decent finish in one of many extra non-traditional transactions of their historical past.
As a result of Granger didn’t play in school and not less than 4 NFL seasons have elapsed since he completed highschool in 2020, he was eligible for final yr’s draft. That meant the Panthers or any staff may signal him as a free agent this yr.
Shortly after finalizing his contract with the Panthers on Monday, Granger was consuming lunch within the cafeteria at Financial institution of America Stadium with three edge rushers on their pre-draft visits — Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, Boston Faculty’s Donovan Ezeiruaku and LSU’s Bradyn Swinson. Granger instructed the group he’d simply joined an NFL staff regardless of not having performed soccer since eighth grade.
“I attempted to inform them the story and so they simply actually laughed in my face,” Granger mentioned. “They had been like, ‘Dude, come on. Like no matter, bro, simply inform us what are you really doing?’ ”
What Granger is attempting to do is comply with a path blazed by Fant and different former school basketball gamers — together with a number of high-profile tight ends — who carved out profitable NFL careers. Fant believes Granger could make his mark in a Panthers tight finish room that presently has Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Jordan Matthews on the high of the depth chart.
“Don’t be shocked if we see Colin on the market taking part in early and infrequently,” Fant mentioned.
Tony Gonzalez (Cal), Antonio Gates (Kent State), Jimmy Graham (Miami) and Mo Alie-Cox (VCU) all turned receiving tight ends after taking part in hoops in school, with Gonzalez and Gates each changing into Corridor of Famers. Gates and Alie-Cox — like Granger — didn’t play school soccer.
The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Granger performed soccer and lacrosse via eighth grade, which is when he first suited up for his center college basketball staff. Inside eight months, Granger had his first basketball scholarship provide from Mount St. Mary’s.
“My freshman yr of highschool, I had simply stopped taking part in soccer. The pinnacle soccer coach known as me out of sophistication each single day, and he needed me to play soccer,” Granger mentioned throughout a cellphone interview Monday.
However aside from the occasional remark from a energy coach about how he would possibly look in pads and a helmet, Granger had just about forgotten about soccer as he labored his method via 5 basketball seasons at three faculties — Ohio College, Western Carolina and Coastal Carolina (he averaged 7.2 factors, 4.4 rebounds, together with 2.0 offensive rebounds final season).
After which he acquired a DM from Fant, who defined his background and mentioned he was seeking to work with school basketball gamers who projected as NFL prospects.
“I noticed it was an actual account, that it was an actual NFL participant,” Granger recalled. “However I used to be like, what? Change sports activities? I’m attempting to beat freaking N.C. State tomorrow. I’m not frightened about that.”
George Fant, second from proper, and his staff spent a number of weeks working with Colin Granger, center, earlier than he signed with the Carolina Panthers. (Courtesy of George Fant)
Fant, who performed sparingly in his solely soccer season at Western Kentucky, began his area of interest headhunter enterprise along with his coach and agent. Fant began going via a web-based database of each Division I basketball participant, scanning their heights, weights and statistics, paying specific consideration to offensive rebounds. When he discovered guys he preferred, he would search for YouTube movies and see if their athleticism would possibly play within the NFL.
“I simply noticed Colin sort of pop off the display screen to me. (Initially) I believed he might be a man that would play offensive line like a Lane Johnson sort of man,” mentioned Fant, a free-agent offensive deal with with 9 years of expertise. “As soon as I acquired him to Kentucky, although, and I acquired to see him run round, I knew straight away he was a decent finish.”
Following the loss within the Solar Belt event, Granger returned to Coastal’s campus to pack his stuff, spent just a few days at his dad and mom’ home in Florida after which headed to Fant’s house in Bowling Inexperienced, Ky., arriving round midnight on March 10.
“He walked out in his driveway and met me,” Granger mentioned, “and I moved into his visitor room.”
The 2 spent 2 1/2 weeks figuring out in Fant’s house fitness center whereas Fant and his agent, Jeffery Whitney, organized a professional day for April 4. In between units on the bench or throughout breaks in velocity coaching, Fant would give different tricks to a participant who hadn’t been on a soccer area in almost 10 years.
“Instantly he purchased in and was the sort of man you didn’t have to inform one thing twice,” Fant mentioned. “When you had been in a position to present it to him, he took it and realized from it straight away and acquired higher.”
Justin Grey, Granger’s coach at each Western Carolina and Coastal, predicted that Granger’s work ethic could be effectively obtained in Kentucky.
“I assure you as quickly as he acquired there and so they noticed how exhausting he works and the way devoted he’s and the way disciplined he’s, it’s like, ‘Man, this child has an opportunity,’” mentioned Grey, who simply wrapped up his first season at Coastal.
“He performs as exhausting as he probably can. He’s a terrific offensive rebounder, defensive rebounder. The ball’s within the air, he goes after it. He’s powerful as nails. He eats nails for breakfast. He’s not tender, nothing about him is tender. After which he’s aggressive.”
A aggressive angle is nice, however Granger nonetheless needed to present scouts his bodily traits. The Panthers — represented by professional scout Adam Maxie — and 4 different groups final Friday got here out to Lambert Excessive in Suwanee, Ga., the place Granger ran the 40-yard sprint in 4.8 seconds and posted a 40-inch vertical leap, based on him and Fant.
Granger, who caught passes from former Georgia State quarterback Zach Gibson on the exercise, was thrilled along with his vertical soar however thought he’d run a sooner 40.
“My 10-yard break up, my 20-yard break up all throughout coaching, I used to be operating 4.7 numbers,” he mentioned. “I solely educated for 3 weeks. My coach instructed me, ‘Dude, if I acquired you only for one other three weeks, you’re a 4.6 man.’ I’m quick. It’s the little little bit of the mechanics that shave off these tenths of a second.”
Granger solely did seven reps on the professional bench (225 kilos), however chalked that as much as the distinction in weight coaching within the two sports activities. “I’ve acquired muscle and I can put it on there,” he mentioned. “However an Olympic raise like that, we didn’t actually straight bench-press like that on a regular basis.”
Fant was happy with how issues went. “I believe the craziest a part of this complete factor is we solely had 2 1/2 weeks to coach him,” he mentioned. “My coach, Jacob Davis, was in a position to get arms on him and do the unattainable, and get him prepared for a professional day in two weeks.”
Granger was scheduled to attend the Atlanta Falcons’ native day this week. As a substitute, he’s beneath contract with their division rivals, thanks partly to Fant’s ties to Carolina common supervisor Dan Morgan, coach Dave Canales and tight ends coach Pat McPherson from their time collectively in Seattle, the place Fant signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and began 10 video games as a rookie.
Fant mentioned he appreciates the Panthers’ giving Granger an opportunity, and expects him to take advantage of it. “He’s an enormous man and he’s in a position to high-point the ball,” Fant mentioned. “He’s in a position to catch the ball actually, actually naturally.”
Grey, a Charlotte native who performed at Wake Forest from 2002 to 2006, believes Granger’s basketball talent set will switch to the gridiron.
“Don’t get me mistaken, I coach basketball. So I’d assume ball within the air, he’s gonna soar up and get it at its highest level. He did that for us. He was actually good at offensive rebounding, with the ability to dunk it again in. Enjoying with folks round him wasn’t a factor,” Grey mentioned. “But it surely’s a unique sport, man, and it’ll take an adjustment interval. However I do know along with his self-discipline and his consistency, he’ll be simply tremendous.”
Granger, who met Chuba Hubbard on Monday whereas getting fitted for gear, mentioned the largest changes might be studying an NFL playbook and getting used to the physicality.
“I’m excited to go get hit. I used to like hitting folks in soccer. It’s a grown man’s league. I do know it’s gonna harm just a little bit extra now. However guess what, I’m massive now and I’m solely getting larger,” he mentioned. “I simply need to go on the market and pop somebody or get popped, get placed on my ass and simply really feel it. Be immersed within the sport. Get that first hit out of the best way and I believe I’ll be tremendous.”
(Prime photograph: Scott Kinser / Cal Sport Media through AP Pictures)
