Arizona Wildcats WR Samajie Grant getting opportunity with Detroit Lions

After getting passed up by all 32 NFL teams on seven different occasions, former Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Samajie Grant has a chance to make the league after the Detroit Lions have decided to give him a chance.

Grant, a 5-foot-9, 173 pound Compton native, played primarily wide receiver in college, but during his senior season, he was called upon to switch to running back after injuries and a dismissal led to the Wildcats losing their top three options at the position at one point.

He responded very well to the situation, putting up 461 rushing yards, including a 176-yard performance against the Arizona State Sun Devils on his senior night. He was the team’s second-leading rusher behind quarterback Brandon Dawkins in 2016.

In 50 career games for the Wildcats, Grant caught 145 balls for 1,639 yards, and rushed 81 times for 491 yards. He accumulated 18 total touchdowns in his four years in Tucson.

Grant was also used as a return man at times, especially in his freshman season. He returned a grant total of 14 kickoffs and nine punts while in an Arizona uniform.

Even though he’s kind of short, Grant is actually very strong, and showed elite elusiveness, especially as a running back. It seemed like a weekly tradition that he would hurdle over a defender, or go on a “Nintendo weave” as Rich Rodriguez liked to call it.

I think his action as a running back opened up another possible way for him to find a place in the NFL. Teams will be able to see that tape as well as film of him playing wide receiver, and have an opportunity to decide which way they want to use him. And Grant showed how adaptable he is to new situations this past season, so that should also help him try and make a squad.

Good luck to Samajie in his quest to make the NFL and whatever else he wants to do moving forward.