When talking about this year’s draft prospects coming out of Ohio State the first names that come to mind are DE Vernon Gholston and OT Kirk Barton. But the player who is starting to pop up on some team’s radar is OLB Larry Grant.

After impressing a number of NFL teams during position drills at the school’s Pro Day last month, Grant is destined to hear his name called along with his Buckeye teammates on draft day April 26-27.

“I’m not sure what NFL teams have in store for me, but I hope they like what they saw at the Combine and Pro Day. I am just waiting for somebody to give me a shot and they’ll be impressed,” Grant said.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker is likely to get that shot sooner than later. The New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals are two teams who could give him the opportunity to play on Sunday.

Grant is set to visit the World Champion Giants, who are in need of linebacker help, on April 15-16. His versatility makes him a perfect candidate for a Giants’ defense that asks a lot of their linebacking corp in terms of play on the field. In two years at Ohio State, Grant took reps at all three linebacker positions but played mostly the SAM position.

The Bengals possible interest came into play when Grant received some positive encouragement from head coach Marvin Lewis immediately after his work out at the Pro Day.

“It was great talking to coach Lewis. I was surprised that he acknowledged me,” Grant said.

“Being at a Pro Day with a high-profile guy like Gholston and a fast riser like Barton, I knew in my mind that they would receive all the glory. So I said Larry, just continue doing what you have been doing for the last couple of years and somebody will see you and take notice. Coach Lewis actually stopped me after all my drills and said that he was very surprised by my performance and that I did a good job. He said that I impressed a lot of people out there. It really meant a lot to me that coach Lewis went out of his way to speak to me because he is one of the top coaches in the NFL.”

Lewis also expressed his feelings regarding the linebacker to Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel.

I believe Grant’s performance is forcing teams to go back and watch some film. What they will learn is that he is a better player than many had anticipated.

Although Grant hasn’t worked out for any teams since the school’s Pro Day he has remained positive throughout the draft process.

“That’s alright with me,” he said. “I’m just continually working out and taking care of my son and doing everything else that I need to do to prepare myself. I’m spending time with my family, going to school and enjoying every free moment I get.”

All about the little homies

One of the things that Grant enjoys doing in his free time is giving back to the Bay Area community where he grew up. Grant along with three other NFL prospects, Cal WR Lavelle Hawkins, Oregon S Matthew Harper and Nebraska’s WR Maurice Purify will spend their days leading up to the draft reaching out to the Bay Area Boys & Girls Club.

A day before what could be the biggest day of their lives the three players will conduct a big community outreach event in their hometown on April 24-25 to spend time with some less fortunate kids from the area.

“We come from the same area as these kids and know what it takes to go from where they are currently to get where we are now,” Grant said. “Hopefully we can be an inspiration to a lot of the kids out there. We just want the kids to know that there is a lot of success outside of their current situation and that if they strive for the best they can achieve the best.”

In today’s sports world of show me the money first, Grant and his counterparts believe that giving of oneself can also be rewarding. I think this act of generosity speaks volume about the character of all three prospects.

The Player

Grant is an experienced player having played in four National Championship games. He played two in Junior College and two while at Ohio State. He’s consistent and plays with a lot of heart. Grant is a very humble guy with a good work-ethic and is an emotional leader on the field. He shows good athleticism and overall technique.

Given his physical attributes and knowledge of the game, Grant has the making for a nice draft day surprise.