Getty Atlanta Falcons safety Richie Grant.
The Atlanta Falcons added to their secondary during the 2021 NFL Draft when they selected versatile safety Richie Grant in the second round out of the University of Central Florida.
However, Grant ended up playing primarily at nickel cornerback after Isaiah Oliver’s season-ending knee injury in Week 4. It was not a foreign position for him but for an NFL rookie, the job was a lot and he struggled.
Now, Grant enters year 2 of his rookie contract and is back to focusing on the safety position, which has been working out in his favor, according to the team’s Digital Editor Scott Bair.
“Last year’s second-round pick has had a quality start to camp and seems in line to start at one of the safety spots,” Bair wrote in his latest column. “He’s playing confident and showing a competitive streak on the back end. He’s communicating well with the cornerbacks and the defensive front. While there’s still a ton to prove, Grant looks like a far better player than he was a year ago. He’s also more comfortable. That’s huge.”
For your own eyes, here’s a clip of Grant picking off quarterback Marcus Mariota:
Easy 💰 for Richie Rich
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Why the Falcons Drafted Grant in 2021
Grant’s versatility to play various positions in the secondary was certainly the main reason Atlanta was eyeing him in the draft in the first place. However, his leadership skills while playing at UCF were even more appealing in defensive coordinator Dean Pees’s eyes.
Pees made it clear earlier this year to the young defender that he shouldn’t be afraid to use his voice because of his rookie status.
“I told him early on, ‘That’s not why we drafted you. We drafted you because when you were at Central Florida you were a take-charge guy. We need that,'” he said via team reporter Tori McElhaney.
Grant finished the 2021 season playing in a total 16 games (0 starts) with 35 tackles, one forced fumble and fumble recovery and two passes defended. He played 192 snaps at slot corner and gave up 19 catches on 24 targets (79.2 reception percentage) for a total of 202 yards and an overall defensive PFF grade of 56.8.
While Grant didn’t play the position he was originally drafted for, he couldn’t have been more grateful for the way things turned out in the end.
“I thank my coaches for that, for putting me in that position because it just helped me grow as a leader,” Grant said. “… Just getting comfortable making the call, that I am not wrong in this call.”
Grant Stayed True to His Rookie ‘Dog’ Promise
Prior to heading to the NFL, Grant started all but one of 10 games for UCF in 2020 and recorded 72 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and a QB hit. He was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, a prestigious award given to College Football’s top defensive back.
In four seasons with the Knights, the six-foot, 194-pounds safety totaled 291 tackles, 29 pass breakups, 10 interceptions, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven forced fumbles.
When asked post-draft what the Falcons were getting in him, Grant said, “A dog. Pure and sweet. You’re going to get a dog. I’m ready to work. I never thought this could happen, but I’m forever grateful to the Atlanta organization for taking that chance on me. You are about to get a playmaker. A leader on and off the field.”
To no surprise, Grant had a hard time adjusting at the NFL level in Pees’s defensive scheme. He wasn’t viewed as a big playmaker last year but he did become a leader as he grew more comfortable.
And all thanks to the “dog” in him, he’s on tap to start at one of the safety spots in 2022.
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Falcons’ Young Defender Looks ‘Far Better’ Than Last Year: Report