Game-wreckers on defense: players who can be disruptive forces that cause endless headaches for opposing offenses. They can be hard to find; just ask Bills general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott.
Analysts and fans alike have called for the club to get more consistent production from their defensive line, especially in playoff losses. As Beane and the Bills look to add talent to that unit, Michigan’s Kenneth Grant is a player who could fill a massive role for Buffalo and one to keep an eye on in the NFL Draft.
- 6’4, 331 lbs.
- 6.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons
- Helped Michigan win a National Championship after 2023 season
- Projects as a 1T (traditional nose tackle) in the NFL
Grant is a big body with impressive athleticism for a player who’s 6’4 and weighs more than 330 pounds. The defensive tackle is known mostly as a run stopper, but has shown the ability to get after the quarterback. He is a player who believes he can make an impact no matter the down and distance.
“I’m a three-down player for sure. I can rush the passer with my strength, add a little bit of finesse in there,” Grant said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “Most guys think I’m just a run stuffer but I’m super athletic and can rush the passer.”
Grant teamed up with fellow top prospect Mason Graham to wreak havoc in college. He racked up 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, helping Michigan win the national championship following the 2023 season. He’s even had an interception. A big game over archrival Ohio State last fall was a career highlight.
“Definitely, that Ohio State game,” Grant said. “Coach lined me up…and I was eating all game, to be honest. I was stopping the run pretty good and I had the opportunity to rush the passer so I was getting back there a lot.”
Grant patterns his game after two NFL standouts — Dexter Lawrence and Vita Vea. “I like those two big guys,” he said. “Bulldozers right there.”
The Bills could use a guy like Grant to play bulldozer next Ed Oliver for years to come. Of returning Bills defensive tackles, Oliver has been the best of the bunch. Veteran DaQuan Jones is back for the final year of his deal. DeWayne Carter will look to improve in his second season, while the club signed another vet in Larry Ogunjobi, who is suspended for the first six games of the regular season for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
A player like Grant could pay off in a big way for a Buffalo team searching for strength up front.