2024 Football Roster

Kenneth Grant
- Class:
- Junior
- Position:
- DL
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 339
- Hometown:
- Gary, Ind.
- High School:
- Merrillville
CAREER GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS
CAREER HIGHS
• Tackles: 4, 6x - last at Indiana (Nov. 9, 2024)
• Solos: 4 - at Penn State (Nov. 11, 2023)
• Asst: 4 - at Ohio State (Nov. 30, 2024)
• TFLs: 2.5 - vs. UNLV (Sept. 9, 2023)
• Sacks: 1.5 - vs. UNLV (Sept. 9, 2023)
• Int.: 1 - at Nebraska (Sept. 30, 2023)
• FR: 1, 3x - last vs. Michigan State (Oct. 26, 2024)
• PBUs: 1, 11x - last at Indiana (Nov. 9, 2024)
At Michigan
• All-American (third team, 2024)
• Two-time All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches, 2023-24; second team, media, 2024; third team, media, 2023)
• Two-time Co-recipient of the Woodley-Graham Award (2023-24); named the Most Improved Player on Defense (2023)
• Three-time letter winner (2022-23-24)
• Appeared in 41 games along the defensive line (one game, special teams only) with 17 starts
Junior (2024)
• Started 12 games along the defensive line; made 32 tackles with 6.5 for loss, 3.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries, five pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries to earn his third varsity letter
• All-American selection by the Associated Press (third team)
• All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches and media)
• Named as the co-recipient of the Woodley-Graham Award
• On six occasions, shared Defensive Player of the Game honors for his performance against Fresno State, USC, Minnesota, Michigan State, Northwestern, at Ohio State
• Broke up a pass starting on the interior against Fresno State (Aug. 31)
• Started and assisted on one tackle against Texas (Sept. 7)
• Broke up one pass and made a pair of tackles in a start against Arkansas State (Sept. 14)
• Recovered a fumble and returned it 18 yards; also broke up a pass, delivered a sack among two tackles against USC (Sept. 21)
• Broke up a pass and delivered one sack among three tackles against Minnesota (Sept. 28)
• Made four stops including one for loss at Washington (Oct. 5)
• Credited with four tackles including one for loss at Illinois (Oct. 19)
• Recovered a fumble and made two tackles including one for loss against Michigan State (Oct. 26)
• Made three tackles against Oregon (Nov. 2)
• Broke up with a pass and contributed four tackles at Indiana (Nov. 9)
• Delivered three stops including a sack against Northwestern (Nov. 23)
• Made four assisted stops including a split TFL at Ohio State (Nov. 30)
Sophomore (2023)
• Appeared in all 15 games with five starts on the defensive interior; made 29 tackles including 5.0 for loss with 3.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, five pass breakups, one interception, and one fumble recovery to earn his second varsity letter
• All-Big Ten selection (second team, coaches; third team, media)
• Seven times shared Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against ECU, UNLV, at Nebraska, at Michigan State, at Penn State, at Maryland, against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship
• Credited with one quarterback hurry against ECU (Sept. 2)
• Registered 2.5 tackles for loss including 1.5 sacks among four tackles against UNLV (Sept. 9); also knocked down a pass
• Assisted on one stop playing inside against Bowling Green (Sept. 16)
• Made his first career start against Rutgers (Sept. 23) and was credited with two tackles
• In a start on the road at Nebraska (Sept. 30), recorded an interception, the first of his career and broke up another pass
• Hurried the quarterback once and made two stops in a start at Minnesota (Oct. 7)
• Against Indiana (Oct. 14), broke up a pass and assisted on two tackles
• At Michigan State (Oct. 21), knocked down a pass and made a solo tackle
• Made two tackles from the interior of the defense against Purdue (Nov. 4)
• Started on the interior at Penn State (Nov. 11) and finished with four solo tackles
• At Maryland (Nov. 18), made four tackles with a nine-yard sack
• Played along the defensive interior and contributed on special teams against Ohio State (Nov. 25)
• Recovered a fumble with a shared tackle for loss and four tackles in a start against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 2)
• Assisted on one tackle against Alabama in the Rose Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Jan. 1)
• Registered a sack, broke up a pass, and produced two solo tackles against Washington in the CFP National Championship Game (Jan. 8)
Freshman (2022)
• Appeared in all 14 games including 13 along the defensive line; made eight tackles to earn his first varsity letter
• Shared Defensive Freshman of the Game honors following his performance against Hawaii
• Shared Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against Illinois
• Named Special Teams Freshman of the Game following his performance against Michigan State
• Credited with one assisted tackle against Colorado State (Sept. 3) as he debuted along the defensive line
• Was in on three tackles (assisted) playing against Hawaii (Sept. 10)
• Played snaps along the defensive line against UConn (Sept. 17)
• Played on special teams against Maryland (Sept. 24)
• Contributed on the defensive line and also played special teams Penn State (Oct. 15), Michigan State (Oct, 29), at Iowa (Oct. 1), at Indiana (Oct. 8), at Ohio State (Nov. 26), against Purdue in the Big Ten Championship (Dec. 3), against TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)
• Assisted on a tackle at Rutgers (Nov. 5) playing along the defensive line and contributing on special teams
• Notched two tackles (one solo) playing along the interior against Nebraska (Nov. 12), and contributed on special teams
• Registered a solo tackle playing along the defensive line and also contributed on special teams against Illinois (Nov. 19)
• Played defensive line and contributed on special teams against TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal (Dec. 31)
Prep
• Attended Merrillville High School (2022) coached by Brad Seiss
• Four-year starter who accumulated a 40-9 record in his career
• Part of a program that won three consecutive regional titles with three straight IHSAA Class 6A semifinal appearances in 2019-20-21
• In his senior year (2021), helped the program to its first undefeated regular season in nearly three decades (9-0) with a 12-1 overall record
• Helped lead the Pirates to a 10-2 record his junior season in 2020
• Posted an 11-2 record as a sophomore in 2019 and a 7-4 record his freshman year in 2018
• Also lettered in track and field; a state meet qualifier and top-10 shot put thrower in Merrillville history
Key Statistics
• Two-way player for the Pirates; also lined up at guard on offense during his senior year
• Credited with 38 tackles, with 14.5 for loss and 6.5 sacks with 12 quarterback hurries and two passes defended his senior year; also forced four fumbles with two recoveries; blocked four field goals, two punts, and two extra points (eight total kicks)
• As part of the offensive line, blocked for the program’s single-season and career rushing leader who totaled over 2,200 yards and 40 touchdowns in Grant’s senior season (2021)
• As a junior, made six tackles for loss with three sacks; returned a 50-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown
• Generated 42 tackles as a sophomore, including three sacks with a pair of forced fumbles
Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of three-stars; the No. 441 overall player nationally, the No. 60 defensive lineman and the No. 11 player in Indiana
• Named a four-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 43 defensive lineman in the nation, and the No. 9 player in the state of Indiana
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 63 player in the region, the No. 50 defensive tackle and the No. 13 player in Indiana
• Rivals.com three-star prospect, the No. 38 defensive tackle in the nation and the No. 10 player from Indiana
• On3.com consensus four-star prospect; the No. 280 player nationally, the 36 defensive lineman and the No. 8 player in the state of Indiana
• Rated an On3.com four-star prospect; the nation’s No. 130 player overall, the No. 19 defensive lineman and the No. 5 player from Indiana
• Member of the IFCA Top 50 team (2021)
• 2021 Duneland Athletic Conference Player of the Year
• Two-time All-DAC Selection
• 2020 Post-Tribune Football Defensive All-Area Team
Personal
• Kenneth Grant was born October 27, 2003
• Son of Kenneth Grant Sr. and Ewana Chatman