The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 55 COMMITMENT PROFILE K enneth Grant wrestled with his de- cision. A late riser in the recruiting process, Grant picked up an early offer from Michigan and fell in love with the pro- gram. However, the three-star defen- sive tackle from Merrillville (Ind.) High camped with Ohio State in the summer and earned a scholarship on the spot. With two historic Big Ten rivals facing off on the recruiting trail, Grant took a step back and carefully analyzed each program. At the end of the day, Michi- gan made him feel most at home and earned his commitment in late Septem- ber. "I felt really comfortable there," Grant said. "My family felt comfortable leav- ing me with the coaches at Michigan. The whole coaching staff is great. The recruiting staff is great. My family and I just felt comfortable." Grant visited U-M twice in the sum- mer, but it was his official visit for the game against Washington in September that really won him over. "They really stressed the family part of Michigan on my official visit," Grant said. "That's what I really liked. They talked about how Michigan is more than just football and your four years there. The Big House was crazy. It was loud the entire time. It was a lot of fun." Just days before Grant pulled the trigger, Michigan defensive line coach Shaun Nua made his way to Merrillville to watch him in game action. Nua hit the trail despite the Wolverines having a game the following day, which showed Grant just how big of a priority he was. Nua identified Grant early and per- formed arguably the best recruiting job of his tenure at Michigan by closing with the mammoth nose tackle prospect. "I have a really cool relationship with Coach Nua," Grant said. "We don't re- ally talk about football. We just talk about life, girlfriends and family. It's pretty cool to have a bond with him out- side of football." At 6-5, 340 pounds, Grant is a true nose tackle but moves extremely well for his size and could move around the defensive line in Michigan's new scheme. Overall, Grant believes he is a perfect fit and is excited about how the unit is looking this fall under Nua and defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. "It's a great scheme," he said. "They have versatile guys playing many posi- tions on their defensive line. I feel like I can fit that. They have one of the best defensive line ratings in college football right now, so that's big for me." Grant is one of two defensive linemen committed to Michigan this cycle, hav- ing joined fellow three-star prospect Mason Graham. Both are among the country's most underrated prospects, and Grant can't wait to team up with him at the next level. "I watched his film," Grant said. "He's a hard-nosed guy. I talked to him on my official visit. We were talking for a little bit. We play the same position and play in the same fronts at our schools. I think we can add to Michigan's defen- sive line." Grant has also had an opportunity to bond with a few other members of Michigan's recruiting class and is ex- cited to help the Wolverines finish strong before December's early signing period. "I feel like we have a really good class this year," he said. "Will Johnson and Myles Pollard are really cool dudes. I feel like I know them well. Tyler Mor- ris is from Chicago, so I've been able to connect with him. I'm hoping to re- cruit some guys and help build the class. I've been talking to [five-star defensive tackle] Walter Nolen and [four-star de- fensive tackle] Deone Walker." — EJ Holland With Kenneth Grant's Commitment, Michigan Adds Size And Muscle To Defensive Line PLAYER EVALUATION Strengths: Grant is a massive prospect at 6-5, 340 pounds. At the high school level, he consistently commands double teams and is a force in the middle, al- lowing linebackers behind him to make plays. However, Grant is more than just a gap stuffer. He carries his weight well and is nimble on his feet, enabling him to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks early and often. Grant is comfortable coming off the edge on stunts and has an array of pass-rushing moves in his arsenal. He also plays offensive guard for his high school and buries defenders when run blocking. Areas Of Improvement: Grant will continue to reshape his body and add even more strength upon arrival at Michigan. While he moves well for his size, he does play a bit too high at times. Grant does get tired and can stay engaged with blocks for too long. When his motor is on, he is virtually unstoppable, but he does need to be more consistent. Grant plays more of a three-technique at his high school and will have to adjust to being a full-time nose. Michigan Player Comparison: With Michigan just transitioning to a 3-4 scheme, there aren't a lot of true nose types on the roster. The Wolverines landed Ike Iwunnah last cycle to fill that role. Like Iwunnah, Grant is a big, athletic body who can stuff the run but also create an interior pass rush. However, Grant al- ready outweighs Iwunnah by 35 pounds. Grant is exactly the addition Michigan needs for its revamped defense. — EJ Holland Grant chose the Wolverines over Ohio State, saying that he and his family "just felt com- fortable" in Ann Arbor. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN