It's official -- Michigan football defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, another legendary defender for the Wolverines 2023 national championship team, has declared for the NFL draft.
Go Blue 4Lš pic.twitter.com/Z46HuY2wHN
ā Kenneth Grant (KG) ć½ļø (@KennyGrant78) December 26, 2024
There were some rumors swirling that Michigan football could be getting Grant back for another season. However, it seemed too good to be true as projected first-round picks rarely pass up that opportunity to return.
Grant did wait longer than most players. Maybe he was considering a return. There's a chance if he came back for another season, he would have been a top-10 pick instead of just a first-round pick, but truth be told, the second NFL contract is way more important than the first.
The sooner you get the second contract, the better and Grant will already get a big chunk of guaranteed money, even if he somehow slid to the second round, which would be shocking.
During his three seasons with the Wolverines, Grant (6-3, 339) had 69 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. Of course, that doesn't measure his true impact. Grant and Mason Graham could go down as the best defensive tackle duo in Michigan football history, at least from the same recruiting class.
What's even crazier is that Grant was a three-star prospect when he signed with Michigan football. Jim Harbaugh called Grant and Graham "gifts from the football gods" and that absolutely proved to be true.
Grant was a key member of the national championship team in 2023. He's also been part of three wins over Ohio State and Michigan State, as well as a two-time Big Ten champion.