Why Falcons Rookie Richie Grant Says, 'I Can't Let That Be Me'

Atlanta Falcons rookie safety Richie Grant was taken in the second round of the NFL Draft out of Central Florida. With previous starting safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen gone to Dallas and Cincinnati respectively, Grant has an excellent chance to earn a starting spot in 2021.

And if/when he does?

"When the game's on the line, I don't want to be the one they're looking at like, 'Come on, Rook!'

"I can't let that be me."

He's logged first-team minutes at training camp, and things are coming easier for him now. So his opportunity might just be coming.

"The game is slowing down a little bit more," said Grant after practice on Monday. "The vets are taking me under their wing, even d-linemen, running backs, receivers, it don't matter. Talking with all the vets, trying to find a way to slow the game down, that might be the biggest adjustment so far."

Veteran safeties Duron Harmon and Erik Harris are also new to the Falcons, but they've been around the block a few times, with 15 seasons between them.

"To have big brothers I can lean on and get advice from, they've both been around for a long time,'' Grant said. "Even stuff outside of football with wife and kids; I want that one day. Literally everything that they're living right now, that's what I want. They just give me advice every single day; I'm soaking it up."

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After four years at UCF, Grant is finding the dedication to football is making it a making the process of getting acclimated to a new league and new team go quicker.

"It's all football. This is your whole life now. There's no school, so you can study as much as you want. Or, as little as you want, if you want to get cut," Grant joked to laughter in the media room.

Grant played early in college with a lot of older players, and he finds that experience is helping him now.

"At UCF,'' he said, "I got thrown into the mix as a young guy. I was playing with a lot of seniors. It's got that same vibe. I've got a lot of older vets out there, and I don't want to let them down. So I'm making sure every day I'm finding something to get better at. When the game's on the line, I don't want to be the one they're looking at like, 'Come on rook!'

"I can't let that be me."

Despite being a great player, or maybe because of it, Grant is staying humble through the process and should be a big part of the Falcons 2021 season and beyond.