
Charlotte, NC-Poté, poured in 19 points on Coast Carolina in the Southern Miss tournament at Sun Belt Conference on March 4, Colin Granger returned to the Team Hotel in Pensacola, Florida, dinner with his parents and discussed his future.
In football.
Granger told Chanticeleers to coach Justin Gray that if Coastal continued an unexpected run in the conference tournament, it would be his sign that he would continue his basketball career abroad, where he had several offers from professional teams.
If not, Granger would become the first client of George Fanta, a ten-year-old NFL veteran to start a business in which he identifies and trains university basketball players who believe he can jump to the NFL-translating fund made in 2016 after leaving Western Kentucky.
So when the singing was discouraged in the opening round of Pensacole, Granger spoke to his parents before he called Fanta and told him he was on board. A month later, Granger developed five NFL teams on private for his high school in Atlanta. And three days after this training, Granger signed with Carolina Panthers as a tight end in one of the most unconventional transactions in their history.
Because Granger did not play at university and has been at least four NFL seasons since he finished high school in 2020, he was entitled to last year’s proposal. This meant that Panthers or any team could sign him as a free agent this year.
Shortly after the contract with Panthers on Monday Granger ate lunch in the dining room at the Bank of America stadium with three marginal Rushera on their preliminary visits-TEXAS A&M SEMAR Stewart, Boston College Donovan Ezeiruakuaku and LSU Bradyn Swinson. Granger told the group that he had just joined the NFL team, although he did not play football from the eighth grade.
“I tried to tell them the story and they literally laughed on my face,” Grager said. “They were like,” Dude, come. Like anything, bro, tell us what are you doing? “
Granger is trying to follow the trail, radiating Fant and other former university basketball players-including a few high-profile fixed ends-who carved the successful NFL career. Fant believes that Granger can make his brand in the Panthers’ fixed end room, which currently has Tommy’s whirlpool, Ja’tavion Sanders and Jordan Matthews at the top of the depth.
“Don’t be surprised to see Colin outside play soon and often,” said Fant.
Tony Gonzalez (Cal), Antonio Gates (Kent State), Jimmy Graham (Miami) and Mo Alie-Cox (VCU) all got firm ends after playing a college, while Gonzalez and Gates became Hall of Famers. Gates and Alie-Cox-Jako Granger-did not play university football.
Granger 6-Naha-8, £ 240 played football and lacrosse over the eighth classes, which is when it is first suitable for their secondary school basketball team. Within eight months, Granger had the first offer of basketball from Mount St. Mary’s.
“My first year of high school I just stopped playing football. The main football coach called me off the class every day and wanted me to play football,” Granger said during a telephone interview on Monday.
But besides the occasional commentary of a power coach about what he could look like in pillows and helmets, Granger forgot to a large extent when he worked out five basketball periods at three schools – Ohio University, Western Carolina and Coastal).
And then he got DM from Fanta, who explained his background and said he was going to work with university basketball players who were reflected as NFL prospects.
“I saw it was a real account, that he was a real NFL player,” Granger recalled. “But I was glad what? Change the sport? I’m trying to beat Freaking NC State tomorrow. I’m not afraid of that.”
George Fant, second from right and his team spent several weeks working with Colin Granger, Middle before signing with Carolina Panthers. (With the kind permission of George Fant)
Fant, who played sparingly in his only football season in Western Kentucky, started his niche headhunter company with his coach and agent. Fant began to browse the online database of every basketball player of division I, searched their heights, weights and statistics, and paid special attention to offensive rebounds. When he found the boys, he liked, looking for videos of YouTube and finding out if their athleticism could play in the NFL.
“I just saw Colin immersed from the screen. (Initially) I thought it could be a man who could play an offensive line like a guy Johnson,” said Fant, offensive equipment with nine years of experience. “But as soon as I got him to Kentucky, and I had to see him running around, I knew it was a tight end.”
After the loss of the Sun Belt tournament, Granger returned to the Coastal area to pack his stuff, spent several days in the house of his parents in Florida, and then headed to Fant’s house in Bowling Green, Ky., Arrived around midnight on March 10.
“He went on a driveway and met me,” Granger said, “and I moved to his room.”
Both spent 2 1/2 weeks exercising in the home gym Fand’s Home, while Fant and his agent Jeffery Whitney organized for the day of April for the day. Between the sets on the bench or during speed training breaks, a fan would give other tips players who haven’t been on the football field for almost 10 years.
“He bought immediately and he was a kind of guy you didn’t have to say twice,” said Fant. “As soon as you could show him, he took it and learned from it right away and improved.”
Justin Gray, Granger’s coach in Western Carolina and Coastal, predicted that Granger’s work ethics would be well received in Kentucky.
“I guarantee you as soon as they got there and they saw how hard they work and how devoted he was and how he was disciplined, it is like,” Man, this boy has a chance, “Gray, who just packed his first season on the coast.
“He plays as hard as he can. It’s a great offensive reflector, a defensive jump. The ball is in the air, it goes behind. He’s hard like her nails. Her nails for breakfast. It’s not soft about him. And then he is competitive.”
The competitive attitude is great, but Granger still had to show scouts his physical features. Panthers-Re-agreed for Scout Adam Maxie-A last Friday the other four teams went to Lambert High in Suwanee in Ga, where Granger ran a 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds and sent a 40-inch vertical jump according to him and Fanta.
Granger, who caught the passages from the former Georgian state Quarterback Zach Gibson for training, was enthusiastic about his vertical jump, but he thought it was running faster 40.
“My 10-yard division, my 20-yard division during training, I ran 4.7 numbers,” he said. “I only trained for three weeks. My coach told me,” Dude if I got you only for another three weeks, you’re a 4.6 guy. “I’m fast.
Granger did only seven repetitions on the bench for (225 pounds), but winged it until the difference in strength training in two sports. “I have my muscles and I can put it there,” he said. “But such an Olympic elevator, so we didn’t get all the time.”
Fant was pleased by how things went. “I think the craziest part of the whole thing is that we had only 2 1/2 weeks to train it,” he said. “My coach, Jacob Davis, managed to get his hands on him and make it impossible and prepare him for a day in two weeks.”
Granger was scheduled to participate in the local day of Atlanta Falcons. Instead, he has a contract with their division rivals, partly thanks to the phantom ties to CEO Carolin Dan Morgan, coach Dave Canales and coach of the fixed ends of Pat McPherson of their together in Seattle, where he signed in 2016 as an undefined agent and started 10 games as a newcomer.
Fant said he appreciates Panthers who gives Granger a chance and expects to make the most of it. “He’s a big guy and can do a high level,” said Fant. “He is able to catch the ball really, really naturally.”
Gray, a native of Charlotte, who played in Wake Forest from 2002 to 2006, believes that Granger’s basketball skill will be transferred to the grate.
“Do not understand me badly, I train basketball. So I would assume that the ball in the air would pop up and get it at its highest point. He did it for us. He was really good in offensive reflection and was able to soak him back. “But it’s a different sport, man and it will take a period of adaptation. But I know with his discipline and his consistency, he will be fine.”
Granger, who met with Chuba Hubbard on Monday, when he was mounted on the equipment, said the biggest modification would be the learning book of the NFL and get used to physicality.
“I’m excited to hit. I loved hitting people in football. It’s an adult league.” I just want to go there and someone’s tax or get, put on my ass and just feel it. Be immersed in the game.
(Upper photo: Scott Kinser / Cal Sport Media through AP images)