It’s hard to ignore Kenneth Grant on a football field.
The former Michigan defensive lineman was something of a tour de force during his three seasons in maize-and-blue, dispatching opposition guards and tackles and leaving ball-carriers cowering in his wake.
Not only was Grant blessed with harrowing size. But he also possesses athletic gifts that few other 2025 NFL Draft prospects can lay claim to. The result is an unsurprising one: Grant is drawing serious interest as a potential first-round selection.
MORE NFL DRAFT NEWS:
With that, here’s what you need to know about Grant and his eye-catching figure.
Kenneth Grant height
Grant stands at a towering 6-foot-3, the same height as fellow Michigan defensive line stalwart Mason Graham. He’s used to being one of the tallest people in a room — his mother, Ewana, recalled Grant drawing glares when he first started playing Pop Warner as an eight or nine year old.
“Every game, the parents were like, ‘That’s a grown man,'” Ewana Chatman told The Michigan Daily in Sept. 2024.
In some ways, such a label could prove disillusioning. For Grant, it was enticing. Not only was he the biggest kid on the field. He was also one of its most athletic, blending size, speed and conditioning within his mountainous frame. He played offense, defense and special teams in high school and became one of his high school’s greatest-ever shot-putters.
“Given his size, his strength, his speed, his quickness, his ability to change direction, the effort that he displays, I’d say (he’s) a freak,” Michigan strength and conditioning coach Justin Tress said. “It’s freaky to be able to do that and to do that consistently.”
Kenneth Grant weight
Grant has some serious brawn, too, carrying a playing weight of 340 pounds. He wears it well, showcasing a penchant for routinely bursting through A-gaps throughout his collegiate career.
Oh, and he can do this:
Not many 340-pounders can run like this. Kenneth Grant (78) can move. pic.twitter.com/kO9NqGOAQJ
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) November 11, 2023
“It was one of the best plays of the season, maybe one of the best plays ever,” former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said of Grant’s highlight-reel chase and tackle vs. Penn State (via Michigan Daily).
Grant shed 25 pounds during his time in Ann Arbor. His speed and conditioning —molded by, among other things, racing around the block with his father — has become the stuff of legend within Al Glick Field House.
“For 350 pounds, he has the best conditioning level of any big man that I’ve ever been around,” former Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston told The Athletic in Aug. 2024. “He’s just scratching the surface. I love the way he studies the game. He’s going to be absolutely phenomenal.”
Where is Kenneth Grant from?
Grant hails from Merrillville, Indiana, a small town located 45 minutes from Chicago. Prior to his matriculation to the Wolverines, he shined at Merrillville High School, following in the footsteps of other athletic marvels like former NFL talents Mike Neal and Eugene Wilson, current Buccaneers safety Ryan Neal and Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
Despite impressive senior season numbers — Grant collected 38 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 12 QB pressures — he only received three-star billing. That didn’t stop the Wolverines from making an offer for the gifted interior lineman.
MORE NFL OFFSEASON NEWS:
Kenneth Grant college stats
Grant was a steady presence in Michigan’s defensive line, particularly in its national championship-winning 2023 campaign.
| Season | Total | Solo | Assists | Sacks | Passes Deflected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 3.5 | 5 |
| 2024 | 32 | 18 | 14 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Total | 69 | 36 | 33 | 6.5 | 10 |
