Panthers sign 6-foot-9 college basketball player for ‘first foray into football’

The NFL Draft is right around the corner but teams are still adding players through free agency as well. On Monday, the Carolina Panthers made a notable move after acquiring a 6-foot-9 former college basketball player to the roster.

Colin Granger, who played as a center for the Ohio University, Western Carolina, and Coastal Carolina basketball teams, is officially signing with the Panthers, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. Pelissero reports this is Granger’s “first foray into football.”

“The Panthers signed former Division I basketball player Colin Granger as a tight end. Granger (6-9, 225) played five years as a center at Ohio University, Western Carolina and Coastal Carolina. This is Granger’s first foray into football.”

Granger, who is 28-years-old, played college basketball for five seasons. Most recently, Granger played for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the 2024-25 season. He played in 31 games serving as a key piece in the Chanticleers’ frontcourt where he averaged 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game while shooting 57.9% from the field and 60.9% from the free-throw line.

At 6-foot-9, the Panthers are having Granger try out as a tight end. His size could be a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive backs. If he makes the final roster ahead of the 2025-26 season, we could see head coach Dave Canales call Granger’s number in red zone opportunities.

The Panthers currently have five other tight ends on the roster including Tommy Tremble, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews, Dominique Dafney, and James Mitchell. Granger will have his work cut out for him as the tight end position will likely be a contested battle in training camp. Tremble and Sanders are the most likely to make the final roster, but the third or fourth spots could be up for grabs.

Carolina hopes to improve next season after seeing quarterback Bryce Young flash major potential in his second year in the league. The Panthers own the No. 8 pick overall in the NFL Draft, which gives the franchise a chance to add a prolific immediate-impact player.