From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, Day 3 selections, or priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Michigan DL Kenneth Grant.
#78 KENNETH GRANT/DT MICHIGAN – 6-3, 339 POUNDS. (JUNIOR)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Kenneth Grant | 6’3/339 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Massive size, strength, and power
– Explosive and freaky linear athlete
– Very quick out of his stance
– Nimble feet for a big man
– Great run defender who plays with a low center of gravity
– Knows how to sink his hips and anchor well
– Good motor and effort on a down-to-down basis
– Can change directions to rest the line of scrimmage
– Plays stunts well with his ability to redirect energy
– Heavy hands that make for a jolting bull
– Impressive speed to power for someone his size
– Can stack and shed one-on-one blocks
– Serious pursuit speed if he gets in the open field
– Very reliable tackler
– Reads a quarterback’s eyes well to bat down passes
– No injury history and dependable to play
THE BAD
– Unrefined pass rush skill set
– Overly relies on bull rush, dip-and-rip, and club moves
– Can struggle to get to the edge on outside zone runs
– More so a linear player than a lateral mover
– Needs to win the rep immediately, or he doesn’t react quickly
– Hand placement can be inconsistent
– Doesn’t have elite arm length
– Can allow pass blockers to get into his chest too easily
– Pass rush plan isn’t consistent
– Needs to work on shedding combo blocks
– Not allowing himself to move with the offensive line on running plays
BIO
– Born 10/27/2003 (21 years old) out of Merrillville, Indiana
– 1,054 total snaps (734 B gap, 300 A gap, 15 over tackle, 1 outside the tackle)
– 167 special teams snaps (84 FG kick, 77 FG block, 6 punt coverage)
– Appeared in 41 games with 17 starts in 3-year career at Michigan
– Career: 69 total tackles, 12 TFLs, 8 sacks, 52 pressures, 4 missed tackles, 41 run stops, 10 PDs, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 INT
– 2024-25 season: 32 total tackles, 7 TFLs, 3 sacks, 27 pressures, 2 missed tackles, 22 run stops, 5 PDs, 2 fumble recoveries, 9.4-percent pass rush win rate according to PFF stats (14.3% true pass set win rate), 7.9-percent run stop win rate according to PFF stats
– 2024-25 Started every game
– 2024 Third-Team All-American
– 2024 Bruce Feldman’s “Freak List”
– 2023-24 Second-Team All-Big Ten
– 2022 3-star prospect by 247Sports
– 38 total tackles, 14.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks his HS senior year
– Played DT, OG, and on special teams in high school
– Competed in the shot put for track and field team
TAPE BREAKDOWN
There are some players who you can immediately feel their presence when they stop on a football field, and Kenneth Grant is one of them. With a hulking, wide frame with power, strength, and athleticism that sometimes defies logic, he is a disruptive defensive tackle who can make an impact from multiple positions. He played predominately in a 4-2-5 defense at Michigan but also fulfilled the traditional nose tackle role in 3-4 looks as well.
Even though his body type may lead people to think he’s strictly a one-gap nose tackle, he spent most of his time playing as a 3-tech in their defense. You can also plug this guy in the middle of your defense in the A gap and feel confident that he can occupy or elude double teams. He also has surprising agility and explosiveness to evade blockers. His power, punch, and lower body strength allow him to anchor successfully against almost anyone. He also has the quickness to use his feet and hands to go around pass protection and to shed down blocking.
He is No. 78 for Michigan in all of the following clips:
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
There is a lot to like about him as a pass rusher with the upside to be even more impactful once he unlocks some more refined techniques and understands his plan of attack with linemen. He often wins with power simply because few can match his. Grant displays a jarring initial punch with his hands that often rocks back linemen, allowing him to control and dictate pass-rushing reps.
He also can simply move guys with his leg and upper body strength and drive. What was surprising and good to see in the film analysis of him is how fast he comes off the snap for a man his size. I also love that he knows how to get his arms up and bats passes down frequently when he doesn’t get home to the quarterback.
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
Where he gets himself into trouble is when he has to use a counter-move in a split second to react quickly. He has a very nice club and swim move, but past that, there isn’t a lot of technique being used.
If an offensive lineman is turned away from him, look out because he will cross your face and get into the backfield quickly. He has adequate length to turn and keep linemen at a distance from him, but he doesn’t appear to be elite where he feels comfortable with a long-arm move yet. His bull rush is definitely the most consistent move that wins for him.
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
The biggest thing to be excited about for Grant is his capability as a run defender. He displays a great low center of gravity, has good contact balance, and has the overwhelming power to reset the line of scrimmage or take on double teams. He also doesn’t miss tackles very often, and once he gets his hands on you as a ball carrier, it’s over. The area of concern for him is that he’s a very good linear mover, but when teams run outside zone concepts on him, he can sometimes struggle to reach the perimeter.
He also needs to be able to shed blockers more consistently for a guy his size. Linemen with length and strength can give him fits at times.
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
This is especially true on stretch plays, whereas he does better with toss plays because they’re slower to develop. However, as a gap defender, he is elite at clogging holes and playing in one gap. He shouldn’t have issues locking horns with offensive linemen and pushing them back in the NFL on running downs.
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
— Jim Hester (@Jh86Guy) January 22, 2025
CONCLUSION
This is not your typical nose tackle of yesteryear that can be phased out of games. Grant is a dominant two-down DT with the potential to be a three-down impactful player as a pass rusher. He should test very well athletically in the pre-draft process and has all the hallmark traits you typically see for guys his size. His ability to come in and be a high-end run defender early in his career and an ascending pass rush development should have plenty of NFL teams interested in him. I think that he could play in a 3-4 or 4-3 front, depending on what teams want him to do.
His closest NFL player comparison to me is Dontari Poe. Both are huge guys who had really good athletic ability. Poe had a nice NFL career and made the Pro Bowl twice. I see a similar trajectory for Grant because he’s a fast mover, strong as an ox, and plays with good effort. Pittsburgh is in the market for defensive line help, and they don’t get much more imposing than Grant in this draft class. He’s a name to keep an eye on with his resume and abilities. There aren’t many guys with his athletic gifts and traits that come along with the experience and production he’s had at the college level.
Projection: Mid-Late Day One
Depot Draft Grade: 8.6 – First Round (Quality Starter)
Games Watched: at Ohio State (2024), vs. Oregon (2024) at Penn State (2023), vs. Washington (2023)
