Michigan football sophomore may be in store for a breakout season

In 2022, Michigan football turned heads nationally en route to a 2nd straight Big Ten championship and a college football playoff appearance. In 2023, expectations are even higher for the Wolverines. If Michigan expects to compete for a national title and more this fall, it will need a few of its younger stars to step up. One of these rising stars may be Kenneth Grant, a sophomore defender for Michigan football.

Michigan football sophomore Kenneth Grant looking to make an impact this fall

As a prospect, Kenneth Grant was a four-star recruit out of Merrillville, Indiana. Being one of Michigan’s highly-rated targets in the 2022 class, Grant is expected to be a starting-caliber defensive tackle for the Maize and Blue for years to come.

In 2022, Kenneth Grant appeared in all 14 of the Wolverines’ games. He earned defensive freshman of the game honors against Hawaii, special teams player of the week honors against Illinois, and special teams freshman of the game honors against Michigan State. Now, in 2023, he may be pushing for a much larger role and taking on more responsibility — it appears that he is ready to step up and will be required to if the Wolverines are to meet expectations.

“Definitely knowing the situation — what the situation in the game is,” Grant told The Michigan Insider. “The little stuff, like technique stuff. Mazi Smith has been a great mentor to me. He’s been that guy to give me a small hints and details. I feel like I could be a leader on this team just by him setting the example.”

As this Michigan football sophomore progresses, the entire Wolverine defense is expected to improve. The Maize and Blue will greatly benefit from an impressive showing by their younger talents this year, and Grant appears poised to take control and make a significant impact.

“The whole D-line, as a group, we’ve got to get better at our pass rush,” he continued. “So that’s something we’re targeting right now to get better at is our pass rush. For me, personally, is my pad level. Trying to stay lower and attack people.” 

Keep an eye on No. 78 this fall, because Kenneth Grant may be poised for a big year.