Colin Granger will try to become the next college basketball standout to play tight end in the NFL. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
(Grant Halverson via Getty Images)
Some of the best tight ends to ever do it excelled in a completely different sport before taking up football. Antonio Gates, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez are among the college-basketball standouts who successfully made the transition to the NFL. Two of those players are already in the Hall of Fame.
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No pressure, Colin Granger.
The Carolina Panthers signed Granger — who spent his senior year playing forward for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers basketball team — to a contract Monday. Granger hasn’t played competitive football since eighth grade, according to ESPN.
While the downside of the contract is clear, there are a few reasons why the Panthers would take a shot on Granger. At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Granger towers over most tight ends. Some of the best tight ends in the game today come in around 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5, giving Granger an even more extreme height advantage over defenders. Most tight ends are heavier, though, so Granger will likely have to bulk up if he wants to earn a spot in the NFL.
Even if Granger’s odds of making the team are low, former college basketball players have successfully made the transition to the NFL. They aren’t all Hall of Famers either. Darren Fells and Julius Thomas both had big moments in the NFL. Fells started 81 games across eight seasons and Thomas turned in two Pro Bowl appearances.
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NFL offensive lineman George Fant made a similar transition, going from college basketball standout to offensive lineman. Fant reportedly has been working out with Granger and tipped off the Panthers about his ability. Fant played for the Seattle Seahawks when current Panthers head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan were with the franchise.
Prior to making the transition to football, Granger averaged 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds as a senior at Coastal Carolina. He started 11 of the team’s 31 games.
Where Colin Granger fits on the Panthers TE depth chart
Given Granger’s unusual path to the NFL, he’s a longshot to make the team’s 53-man roster. The Panthers — however — don’t currently have a standout at tight end. After being selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Tommy Tremble hasn’t developed into a major receiving threat. Ja’Tavion Sanders showed off more pass-catching ability than Tremble as a rookie last season, but finished the season with 33 catches. Jordan Matthews and Dominique Dafney are likely just depth options.
The opportunity is there for Granger to make an impact, though he faces a long journey ahead. It’s true that some of the best tight ends in NFL history got their start in college basketball. But trying to convert former college basketball stars to the position isn’t a new thing. For every name you know, there are so many others who tried to make the same transition and came up short.
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