Last Updated: February 18. 2010
Sam Webb: Recruiting
'Razzle-dazzle' Ohio CB has family ties to MSU but also likes U-M
Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's cornerback Doran Grant is rated the No. 2 cornerback in the country by Scout.com. (Allen Trieu / Scout.com)
The state of Ohio has long been recognized as one of the most fertile talent grounds in the country. Its class of 2011 won't do anything to diminish that reputation.
Thirteen prospects from the Buckeye State are ranked in the top 10 nationally at their positions according to Scout.com's initial rankings, and that number could swell even more after spring and summer combines.
Among the youngsters receiving the earliest acclaim from scouts and coaches is Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's cornerback Doran Grant. Rated the No. 2 cornerback in the country by Scout.com, the 5-10, 177-pounder compares his game to that of one of the NFL's all time greats.
"I'm a Deion-type guy," Grant said confidently. "A lot of people compare me to Deion Sanders. I make the big play. The interception, the fumble pick up -- spectacular razzle-dazzle stuff like that. I play hard and go for the ball. I'm a ball hawk and will hit somebody if I have to."
Many prospects tend to embellish their attributes, but Grant's self-assessment isn't totally off-base according to Scout.com Midwest regional manager Allen Trieu.
"It's tough to throw out a name like Deion Sanders as a comparison, but I can see that," Trieu said. "Some of the speed and open-field abilities are there. Obviously, Deion is one of the best ever and by no means am I saying he's the next Sanders, but style-wise I can see why he would say that.
"Grant is a fantastic athlete. You look at his testing numbers and that much is clear. His 40-inch vertical helps him since he's not super tall. Then, when you watch him on tape, you see that he has great ball skills and he's dangerous after the interception.
"The one question I have is whether that lack of size will hinder him. So far it has not, but I think he'll need to get stronger and show he can be physical with bigger receivers."
That physical maturation will come in due time. For now, Grant will continue to overwhelm his opponents with his blazing 4.37 speed. Quarterbacks avoided him like the plague last year, which lent to a seemingly modest stat line of 40 tackles and one interception. The four-star prospect took his Deion imitation a step further by utilizing his playmaking ability on offense, where he hauled in 33 receptions for 688 yards and seven touchdowns.
Scores of college coaches have taken notice of Grant's on-field exploits and have stepped forward with scholarship offers. USC and West Virginia were the latest to take the plunge, taking his tally to nineteen. With new suitors emerging every day, Grant is content to take a patient and open-minded approach to recruiting. Even so, a handful of schools have caught his early attention.
"I'm not going to say that they're at the top of my list, but there a few standing out because of relationships with the coaches," Grant explained. "Ohio State and Michigan State mostly. I'm starting to talk to North Carolina a lot, Michigan, Georgia Tech and Notre Dame pretty much right now. But that's not really a top (list) or nothing like that."
