Carolina Panthers’ Colin Granger opens up about NFL leap after pro day

Granger had every reason to doubt his shot. He hadn’t played football since high school and spent five years grinding through NCAA basketball at Ohio, Western Carolina, and Coastal Carolina, where he averaged just 2.4 points and 2.7 rebounds last season. But his freakish frame and raw athleticism — similar to George Fant’s — caught the attention of Panthers brass.

This isn’t a gamble for Carolina. It’s a blueprint. Head coach Dave Canales and GM Dan Morgan were both part of the Seattle Seahawks’ staff when they helped mold Fant — another college basketball product — into a starting NFL tackle. Granger said all three key figures in the Panthers organization, including tight ends coach Pat McPherson brought up Fant’s name when pitching him on his future. “They’ve seen it happen. They’ve seen it work,” Granger said.

Standing taller than anyone else on the roster, Granger will enter a competitive tight end group featuring Tommy Tremble, and Ja’Tavion Sanders. But Carolina’s willingness to develop raw, positionless athletes may give Granger the runway he needs.

Granger isn’t a household name — yet. But if the Panthers’ track record holds true, fans in Charlotte may be watching another hoops-to-gridiron success story unfold. Stay tuned: training camp could be where this longshot proves he’s more than just potential.