*** As soon as I landed from Amsterdam, I threw my wife out of the car and made the drive over to Merrillville (Ind.) High to see top 2022 Michigan defensive tackle target Kenneth Grant. I stopped by to see Grant practice before my vacation and gave him glowing reviews. He didn't disappoint in-game either. After a bit of a slow start and some cramping, Grant really turned up the heat. He commanded constant double teams and forced Meerrillville (Ind.) Andrean to game plan around him. Grant got a great push upfront, plugged gaps, allowed his teammates to make plays and made some stops of his own. Grant is the exactly what Michigan is looking for in its 3-4 defensive tackle. In fact, I'm not so sure Grant isn't ahead of Walker on the board. The staff is throwing everything at him. He can be an early difference maker in Ann Arbor.
*** Two things really stood out to me about Grant other than his ability as a run stuffer. One is his passing rushing skillset. Grant got after the quarterback a ton from the interior of the defensive line. Whether it was at nose, three or five, Grant moved around and forced the Andrean quarterback to make uncomfortable throws throughout the night. Merrillville also had some twists and stunts designed for him to get to the edge. Grant is pretty nimble and used his brute strength and power to toss offensive tackles aside. I love Grant so much as a prospect because he's much more than just a big body that's going to plug gaps. He's a playmaker and a game changer at one of the most important spots in football.
*** And that brings me to my next point. Grant made the biggest plays when his team needed him the most. The star prospect had a momentum-shifting blocked punt right after halftime. On the very next play, he lined up at offensive guard and cleared the way for his running back to score, serving up a nasty pancake. Grant also had the game-sealing touchdown as he blocked yet another punt in the fourth quarter and recovered in the end zone. When Grant scored, his teammates were even more excited than he was. Grant has an infectious smile and personality. Everyone at Merrillville loves him and looks to him for leadership.
*** Grant's ranking is an absolute joke. Shame on both major recruiting sites. As I've tweeted before, I would love to see a national guy head out out to Broadway and watch Grant. There is no way he leaves thinking the dude is a three-star. Grant is easily a four-star recruit. In fact, I would grade him as a Top 200 recruit — easily. I know Michigan views him in the same light. Grant simply refused to do camps and was a hidden gem just outside of Gary for quite some time. I also am comfortable with saying that about Grant's ranking because of his floor. He is a mauler as an offensive lineman (he was more impressive at guard than some guard recruits I've evaluated on this beat). His head coach even told me that Grant would be a national recruit at guard if he focused on it.
*** Grant has the power, athleticism and hand technique to play right away. So what can he improve on? Grant blows by offensive lineman at the high school level and enjoys tossing them aside. It's almost too easy for him, which causes him to over pursue. Grant needs to be a bit more disciplined. There was one play where he had a chance to deliver a big hit on Drayk Bowen, who was playing running back, but whiffed on him because he was too eager. Grant does play high at times as one poster mentioned. Some of that is just the fact that he weighs 340 pounds and is playing both ways. Grant did get tired and suffered from cramps. But I don't blame him. I actually think he looks good at his weight. It's just going to be tough for any 340-pounder to go both ways. If it's not purely a conditioning issue, that's something that's easily correctable.
*** Two things really stood out to me about Grant other than his ability as a run stuffer. One is his passing rushing skillset. Grant got after the quarterback a ton from the interior of the defensive line. Whether it was at nose, three or five, Grant moved around and forced the Andrean quarterback to make uncomfortable throws throughout the night. Merrillville also had some twists and stunts designed for him to get to the edge. Grant is pretty nimble and used his brute strength and power to toss offensive tackles aside. I love Grant so much as a prospect because he's much more than just a big body that's going to plug gaps. He's a playmaker and a game changer at one of the most important spots in football.
*** And that brings me to my next point. Grant made the biggest plays when his team needed him the most. The star prospect had a momentum-shifting blocked punt right after halftime. On the very next play, he lined up at offensive guard and cleared the way for his running back to score, serving up a nasty pancake. Grant also had the game-sealing touchdown as he blocked yet another punt in the fourth quarter and recovered in the end zone. When Grant scored, his teammates were even more excited than he was. Grant has an infectious smile and personality. Everyone at Merrillville loves him and looks to him for leadership.
*** Grant's ranking is an absolute joke. Shame on both major recruiting sites. As I've tweeted before, I would love to see a national guy head out out to Broadway and watch Grant. There is no way he leaves thinking the dude is a three-star. Grant is easily a four-star recruit. In fact, I would grade him as a Top 200 recruit — easily. I know Michigan views him in the same light. Grant simply refused to do camps and was a hidden gem just outside of Gary for quite some time. I also am comfortable with saying that about Grant's ranking because of his floor. He is a mauler as an offensive lineman (he was more impressive at guard than some guard recruits I've evaluated on this beat). His head coach even told me that Grant would be a national recruit at guard if he focused on it.
*** Grant has the power, athleticism and hand technique to play right away. So what can he improve on? Grant blows by offensive lineman at the high school level and enjoys tossing them aside. It's almost too easy for him, which causes him to over pursue. Grant needs to be a bit more disciplined. There was one play where he had a chance to deliver a big hit on Drayk Bowen, who was playing running back, but whiffed on him because he was too eager. Grant does play high at times as one poster mentioned. Some of that is just the fact that he weighs 340 pounds and is playing both ways. Grant did get tired and suffered from cramps. But I don't blame him. I actually think he looks good at his weight. It's just going to be tough for any 340-pounder to go both ways. If it's not purely a conditioning issue, that's something that's easily correctable.
