Draft Analyst Keith Sanchez at The Draft Network released a new mock draft, and he has the Dolphins selecting a replacement for Calais Campbell in Round one.
Round 1, Pick #13: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
“Last offseason, the Dolphins lost Christian Wilkins, which left a void in their defense. Kenneth Grant is a big, strong, physical IDL who has proven he can be a force against the run. An added element to Grant’s game is that he can also rush the quarterback, showing quickness and the ability to collapse the pocket.”
NFL.com Draft Profile
Overview
Grant is a broad-bodied nose tackle whose tape can run hot and cold depending on the game and the types of blocks he’s facing. He struggles to anchor when hit with down blocks due to his narrow base and tall pads, but he uses his power and length to beat single blocks and split double teams when he finds the crease. He had some sack production in college, and we could see him improve in that area once he learns to create more rush space with his hands. Grant’s game will finally come together in full when he’s able to take his impressive physical attributes and impose his will on opponents.
Strengths
- Built with a broad chest, thick lowers and long arms.
- Capable of playing multiple spots in odd or even fronts.
- Can absorb and split double teams when pad level is right.
- Possesses club strength to knock blocker off balance.
- Good strike and extend with arm-over release as a two-gapper.
- Put together a solid performance in upset win over Ohio State.
- Bangs around with heavy hands as an interior rusher.
Weaknesses
- Too often lacks explosiveness for dominant early phase reps.
- Plays with tightness in lowers and a narrow base.
- Has a tougher time growing roots against angle blocks.
- Limited range and short-area quickness as a tackler.
- Poor first-step quickness to create advantages for his rush.
The 33rd Team Draft Profile
Height: 6034 (verified)
Weight: 342lbs (verified)
Year: Junior
Pro Comparison: Dalvin Tomlinson
Scouting Overview
Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Kenneth Grant is a tight-quarters mauler who has the potential to serve a dominant role in the heart of an NFL defense. Grant has a compact, powerful frame and offers explosive hands to jolt and reset the point of attack.
He’s generally regarded as the “other” Michigan defensive tackle opposite Mason Graham — but this is a standalone talent in his own right. Grant has brilliant flashes of versatility and quickness as a pass rusher to bolster his upside. He can develop into a frequent splash player with the right coaching and supplementary players around him.
The floor is a key cog in base defenses, but Grant has shown growth across all phases of his game at Michigan, including in the volume of snaps he’s capable of taking. This trend should offer him early consideration thanks to his rare traits.
Positives
- Prototypical anchor and power to reset the line of scrimmage and dominate centers to overwhelm the A-gaps
- Freakish athlete with rare movement skills for a player of his size and stature
- Range along the line of scrimmage allows him to stay overtop of blocks and in his gap fit
Negatives
- Pass rush profile shows flashes, but his passing down outlook is modest, and he’ll likely surrender reps to a more potent rusher
- Can be more consistent with cleanly deconstructing blocks to uncover and finish
- Has been documented as high as 360 pounds, keeping him in a range to maximize his 3-down impact may be a subplot of his career
Background
Grant is from Merrillville, IN, and played high school football for Merrillville HS. He was a two-way player on the offensive and defensive lines while also participating in track and field and competing in the shot put. Grant garnered significant interest at Merrillville, earning a 4-star recruiting ranking (247 Sports) while positing 6.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 8 blocked kicks.
He committed to Michigan in September of 2021 as a member of the recruiting class of 2022 and quickly found his footing with the program. Grant played in all 14 games as a true freshman in 2022, earning honors for defensive and special teams performances. He emerged as a starting talent in 2023, starting five games out of 15 total appearances and earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors for his efforts in Michigan’s National Championship season.
Grant returned to action in 2024 and set a career-high in snaps by the end of the regular season as a full-time starter.
Tale Of The Tape
Grant is a brick house of a human being who offers loads of explosive power in his game. It is impressive to watch him bull rush and collapse the pocket on opportunities in 1-on-1 assignments as a pass rusher, and it is equally impressive to see him create knockback at the point of attack.
Grant is a more refined run defender than he is as a pass rusher, but he offers flashes of brilliance in both phases, and his physical presence and frame ensure him what should be a relatively high floor as a run defender in the NFL.
You don’t, of course, draft run pluggers early in the draft. And that’s where Grant’s physical ability unlocks higher levels of his game and offers the promise of something more. Grant has a quick first step, surprising agility in short spaces, good redirection ability, and a handful of effective rush counters.
He’s at his best, winning with power, but thanks to his build and low center of gravity, there are change-of-direction skills you simply don’t expect to find in a player of this stature. He is nimble when redirecting across the face and showcases the ability to quickly dip into an adjacent gap when working the lock-peek-shed technique on the nose.
Grant’s moments of dominance don’t run as frequently as his teammate Mason Graham’s, but Grant is arguably a more physically gifted talent when accounting for his size. Grant will seemingly flip the switch at times, as he did against Ohio State (2024), and is capable of completely wrecking a game plan from the heart of the front. He has illustrated a rip and a swim move on the inside, and his heavy hands will allow him to create momentum for bull rushes and force quarterbacks off the spot as a pass rusher.
Grant will need to continue to master his craft with elite hand placement and refine his rush plan and second-reaction counter ability in order to unlock a significant ceiling as a pass rusher in the NFL. As is, he’s good for overwhelming centers and capable of successfully winning across the face if the center turns away, leaving him 1-on-1 with a guard.
His run defending ceiling is assured, thanks to his good ability to eat double teams. He isn’t easily moved, although he can be turned out at times through lateral pressure, and would benefit from staying vigilant in fighting pressure to ensure he doesn’t get walled off even if he’s held his point of attack.
Grant should have little issue locking out and pressing blockers on the interior when faced with vertical releases from offensive linemen and should be considered a reliable option early on to help keep linebackers clear. Grant has sufficient length to live in this world similarly in the NFL as he has at Michigan.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Grant projects best as an A-gap defender in the NFL. He has versatility in whether he’s playing in gap penetration or gap control fronts; he should be considered a transcendent option to play in odd or even fronts.
His ability to anchor and reset will be a valuable cog to any team’s run defense, and Grant should be afforded the opportunity to develop more as a pass rusher. I would keep his playing weight north of 320 and lean into his dominant power and natural athleticism at that stature; it is more than enough to win at the next level in the roles he’s filling at Michigan.
