Top Steelers Prospect Won’t Participate in Combine Drills Due to Injury
Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant will not participate in drills at the NFL Combine due to an injury.
It’s no secret the Pittsburgh Steelers are very interested in the this year’s rookie defensive line class, and maybe even more so in Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. However, they’re going to have to wait at little bit longer to see Grant in action.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Grant was found to have a hamstring strain during the NFL Combine medical evaluations on Thursday. As a result, he will not participate in on-field drills, which means interested teams like the Steelers will have to wait until his Michigan Pro Day on March 21.
It’s unfortunate news for Grant, who is viewed as one of the best defensive linemen in the 2025 NFL Draft after recording 61 tackles, 6.5 sacks and one interception over the past two years at Michigan.
Many believed he was about to put on a show during Thursday’s defensive line drills, especially because his former Michigan teammate and potential top-5 pick Mason Graham is planning to sit them out.
“Grant’s considered a first-round prospect. He’s the other interior defensive lineman at Michigan. Although Graham is going to get all the love, big Kenneth Grant is going to be turning some heads tonight if he works out. The story is, he’s a lot more athletic than you would think for a guys that size, 340 pounds,” NFL Network’s Peter Schrager said. “He could be a guy that puts up one of those eye-popping 40s and does really good in the agility drills.”
Grant is a very realistic option for the Steelers at pick No. 21. Pittsburgh already had a formal interview with the Michigan product, which only further supports the idea of the team selecting him with its first-round pick.
The biggest question is: Will Grant still be on the board when the Steelers are put on the clock?
While it doesn’t seem to be serious, Grant’s hamstring strain may help him fall to Pittsburgh. If that’s the case, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks Steelers fans should be ecstatic.
