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 together 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 might be his signal that he would proceed his basketball profession abroad, the place he had a number of provides from skilled groups.
If not, Granger would turn into the primary consumer of George Fant, the 10-year NFL veteran who was beginning a enterprise through which he identifies and trains school basketball gamers he believes could make the bounce 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 together 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 12 months’s draft. That meant the Panthers or any staff might signal him as a free agent this 12 months.
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 School’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 they usually simply actually laughed in my face,” Granger stated. “They had been like, ‘Dude, come on. Like no matter, bro, simply inform us what are you truly doing?’ ”
What Granger is attempting to do is observe 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 at the moment has Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Jordan Matthews on the high of the depth chart.
“Don’t be stunned if we see Colin on the market enjoying early and sometimes,” Fant stated.
Tony Gonzalez (Cal), Antonio Gates (Kent State), Jimmy Graham (Miami) and Mo Alie-Cox (VCU) all grew to become receiving tight ends after enjoying hoops in school, with Gonzalez and Gates each turning 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 12 months of highschool, I had simply stopped enjoying soccer. The top soccer coach known as me out of sophistication each single day, and he needed me to play soccer,” Granger stated throughout a telephone interview Monday.
However apart from the occasional remark from a energy coach about how he may look in pads and a helmet, Granger had just about forgotten about soccer as he labored his approach via 5 basketball seasons at three colleges — 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 stated he was trying 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 anxious 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 together 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 explicit consideration to offensive rebounds. When he discovered guys he preferred, he would search for YouTube movies and see if their athleticism may play within the NFL.
“I simply noticed Colin type of pop off the display to me. (Initially) I believed he could possibly be a man that might play offensive line like a Lane Johnson type of man,” stated 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 immediately he was a decent finish.”
Following the loss within the Solar Belt event, Granger returned to Coastal’s campus to pack his stuff, spent a couple of days at his dad and mom’ home in Florida after which headed to Fant’s dwelling in Bowling Inexperienced, Ky., arriving round midnight on March 10.
“He walked out in his driveway and met me,” Granger stated, “and I moved into his visitor room.”
The 2 spent 2 1/2 weeks understanding in Fant’s dwelling 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 pace coaching, Fant would give different tricks to a participant who hadn’t been on a soccer area in almost 10 years.
“Immediately he purchased in and was the type of man you didn’t have to inform one thing twice,” Fant stated. “When you had been in a position to present it to him, he took it and discovered from it immediately and acquired higher.”
Justin Grey, Granger’s coach at each Western Carolina and Coastal, predicted that Granger’s work ethic can be properly acquired in Kentucky.
“I assure you as quickly as he acquired there they usually 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,’” stated Grey, who simply wrapped up his first season at Coastal.
“He performs as exhausting as he probably can. He’s an ideal 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 mushy, nothing about him is mushy. After which he’s aggressive.”
A aggressive perspective 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, in accordance with him and Fant.
Granger, who caught passes from former Georgia State quarterback Zach Gibson on the exercise, was thrilled together with his vertical bounce however thought he’d run a quicker 40.
“My 10-yard break up, my 20-yard break up all throughout coaching, I used to be operating 4.7 numbers,” he stated. “I solely skilled 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 stated. “However an Olympic elevate like that, we didn’t actually straight bench-press like that on a regular basis.”
Fant was happy with how issues went. “I feel the craziest a part of this complete factor is we solely had 2 1/2 weeks to coach him,” he stated. “My coach, Jacob Davis, was in a position to get arms on him and do the inconceivable, 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 below 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 stated he appreciates the Panthers’ giving Granger an opportunity, and expects him to take advantage of it. “He’s a giant man and he’s in a position to high-point the ball,” Fant stated. “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 ability set will switch to the gridiron.
“Don’t get me fallacious, I coach basketball. So I’d assume ball within the air, he’s gonna bounce up and get it at its highest level. He did that for us. He was actually good at offensive rebounding, having the ability to dunk it again in. Enjoying with folks round him wasn’t a factor,” Grey stated. “However it’s a unique sport, man, and it’ll take an adjustment interval. However I do know together with his self-discipline and his consistency, he’ll be simply superb.”
Granger, who met Chuba Hubbard on Monday whereas getting fitted for tools, stated the largest changes will probably 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 damage a little bit bit extra now. However guess what, I’m massive now and I’m solely getting larger,” he stated. “I simply wish 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 recreation. Get that first hit out of the best way and I feel I’ll be superb.”
(Prime photograph: Scott Kinser / Cal Sport Media through AP Photos)