CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After pouring 19 points on Coast Lajana in a first-round defeat to Southern Miss at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on March 4th, Collingranger returned to his team hotel in Pensacola, Florida, where he had dinner with his parents and discussed his future.
In soccer.
Granger told Chanticleers manager Justin Gray that if Coastral does an unexpected run at a conference tournament, it is a sign that he will continue his basketball career overseas, where he has multiple offers from professional teams.
Otherwise, Granger will be George Fant's first client. George Phant will become a 10-year NFL veteran who started the business of identifying and training college basketball players who believe they can jump into the NFL.
So, when the hymn bounced off in the opening round of Pensacola, Granger spoke to his parents and called the Fant to say he was on board. A month later, Granger worked on five NFL teams on his private pro day at Atlanta Regional High School. And three days after that training, Granger signed with the Carolina Panthers as a tight end in one of the more untraditional deals in their history.
Granger has not played in college and was eligible for last year's draft because at least four NFL seasons have passed since graduating from high school in 2020. That meant that the Panthers or any team could sign him as a free agent this year.
Shortly after completing his contract with the Panthers on Monday, Granger was eating lunch at the Cafeteria at Bank of America Stadium, with three edge rushes on his pre-draft visit. Granger told the group he had just joined the NFL team despite not playing football since eighth grade.
“I tried to tell them a story, and they literally laughed in my face,” Granger said. “They said, 'Hey, come on, anything, mate, tell me what you're actually doing?'
What Granger is trying to do is follow the burnt-out trails by Fant and other former college basketball players, including some well-known tight ends. Fant believes Granger can make his mark in the Panthers' tight endroom, which has Tommy Tremol, Jatavion Sanders and Jordan Matthews at the top of the depth chart.
“Don't be surprised to see Colin playing early and often,” Fant said.
Tony Gonzalez (CAL), Antonio Gates (Kent), Jimmy Graham (Miami) and Molly Cox (VCU) all began receiving tight ends after playing hoops in college. Gates and Alie-Cox didn't play college football like Granger.
The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Granger played soccer and lacrosse in his eighth grade. Within eight months, Granger received an offer for his first basketball scholarship from Mount St. Mary.
“My freshman high school year, I stopped playing soccer. The head football coach called me out of class every day and he wanted to play football,” Granger said in a phone interview Monday.
But aside from the occasional comments from strength coaches about how he sees pads and helmets, Granger almost forgot about football as he went through five basketball seasons at three schools, Ohio University, West Carolina and Coastal Carolina (he averaged 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 offensive rebounds).
And he got a DM from Fant. He explained his background and said he was about to work with a college basketball player he predicted as an NFL prospect.
“It was a real account and I saw it was a real NFL player,” recalls Granger. “But what was I? Change sports? I'm going crazy with NC State tomorrow. I'm not worried about it.”
George Fant, second from the right, his team spent several weeks with Colin Granger, Colin Granger, before signing with the Carolina Panthers. (Personally courtesy of George Fant)
Playing modestly in Western Kentucky's only football season, Fant started a niche headhunter business with trainers and agents. The Phant went through an online database of all Division I basketball players, scanning height, weight and statistics, and paying particular attention to offensive rebounds. When he found someone he liked, he searched for YouTube videos to see if their athleticism would be played in the NFL.
“I just saw Colin jump off the screen. (Initially) I thought he would be a guy who could play offensive lines like a guy like Lane Johnson,” said Fant, an offensive tackle for a free agent with nine years of experience. “But I could take him to Kentucky and see him run around, so I knew he was a tight end right away.”
Following his defeat at the Sun Belt Tournament, Granger returned to the Coast campus, packed his bags, spent several days at his parents' house in Florida, and arrived around midnight on March 10th.
“He went out into the driveway and met me,” Granger said. “And I moved into his room.”
Fant and his agent Jeffrey Whitney spent two and a half years at Fant's home gym while Fant and his agent Jeffrey Whitney hosted a Pro Day on April 4th.
“He bought it right away and the kind of guy you didn't have to say something twice,” Fant said. “If you could show it to him, he took it and quickly learned from it and got better.”
Granger coach Justin Gray predicted that Granger's work ethic is gaining good reputation in Kentucky.
“I assure you as soon as he got there, they saw how hard he worked, how devoted he was, how trained he was.
“He plays as hard as he can. He's an offensive rebounder and a defensive rebounder. The ball is in the air. He chases it. He's tough as a claw. He eats his claws for breakfast.
His competitive attitude is great, but Granger still had to show his physical traits to the scouts. The Panthers, represented by Pro Scout Adam Maxie, and four other teams appeared at Lambert High in Swanney, Georgia last Friday. There, Granger ran a 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds and posted a 40-inch vertical jump.
Granger caught a pass from former Georgia quarterback Zack Gibson in training and was excited by his vertical jump, but he thought he would run a faster 40.
“My 10-yard splits, my 20-yard splits were all running numbers of 4.7 during training,” he said. “I only trained for three weeks. The trainer told me, 'Hey, if you only get you for three weeks, you're 4.6 people.” I'm fast.
Granger only did seven reps on the pro bench (225 pounds), but choked it down to the difference in weight training for the two sports. “I have muscles so I can put it there,” he said. “But at such an Olympics, we weren't always a straight bench press.”
Fant was pleased with how things went. “I think the craziest part of this whole thing is that we only had two and a half years to train him,” he said. “My trainer, Jacob Davis, did the impossible with him and was able to prepare for a professional day in two weeks.”
Granger was scheduled to attend the Atlanta Falcons' Local Day this week. Instead, he has contracted with rivals in their division. In part, Carolina's general managers, coach Dan Canales, Dave Canales, and tight end Pat McPherson have signed together in Seattle.
Fant said he appreciated the Panthers giving Granger a chance and hopes he will make the most of it. “He's a big guy and can get high points on the ball,” Fant said. “He can really catch the ball naturally.”
Gray, a Charlotte native who played for Wake Forest from 2002 to 2006, believes Granger's basketball skill set will move to the grid irons.
“Don't get me wrong, I coach basketball. So I assume the ball in the air. He jumps up and gets it at the best point. He did it for us. He was really good at offensive rebounds and could play with the people around him. “But it's another sport, he's a human, it takes a period of adjustment. But with his discipline and consistency, I know he's fine.”
Granger, who met Tuba Hubbard on Monday to match the equipment, said the biggest adjustment is to learn the NFL playbook and get used to physicality.
“I'm excited to hit. I loved hitting people in football. It's a league of guys that grew up. I know it hurts a little more. “I just want to get out there and pop someone, pop, put them on my ass and feel. I'm immersed in the game. Get in the way of the first hit. I think it's fine.”
(Photo above: Scott Kinser/Cal Sport Media via AP Image)
