Eleven Warriors

The state of Ohio is rich with talent for the football class of 2011 and one player who is on everybody's recruiting radar is CB/WR Doran Grant of St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron. While Lebron James made the Irish a famous brand on the hardwood, Grant is trying to give the school a name on the gridiron and is having great success doing so. At 5-11/180, Grant is built well for the cornerback position where he is receiving interest from some of the nation's best. In addition to his offer from Ohio State, Doran's list includes scholarships from USC, Miami, Michigan, Michiga State, West Virginia, LSU, Penn State, and others. He tallied 40 tackles, one interception, and two blocked kicks on defense during his junior season and racked up around 700 yards and seven touchdowns at receiver for the Irish this past season. He has been clocked at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash and claims to have a 40-inch vertical to go with it. We caught up with Doran to discuss the latest on his recruitment, what he likes about the Buckeyes, what he is looking for in his future school, and more. Be sure to check out his highlight video following the interview as well and get ready to hop on the Doran Grant bandwagon. What is your updated Top 5? What visits do you have planned in the near future and what could make your list change? My top 5 is now Ohio State, Michigan State. Michigan, West Virginia, and USC. My next visit is possibly the Ohio State spring game if I don't have a track meet. When do you expect to make a commitment? I don't plan on committing soon [and will take all my visits]. You've been to Ohio State many times. What do you like most about Ohio State? I like the coaching staff, the family atmosphere, and I feel I could go there and make an instant impact playing cornerback as a true freshman. Have you spoken to any of the current players who have committed to OSU or any of the players OSU is currently recruiting? I've spoken to Kenny Hayes, Tommy Brown, Ron Tanner, Trey DePriest, and Aundrey Walker. What are you looking for in the school you will attend? I'm looking for a school that will give me an oppourtunity to play my freshman year, a great coaching staff, a stable coaching staff, and a great family atmosphere. On the field, what are your strengths? What do you feel you need to work on during your senior season? My strengths on the field are my football savviness, quickness, speed control, and my strength. I feel I need to work more on my receiver skills and baiting the quarterback. What current/former college player do you compare to? What current/former NFL player does your skill set compare to? I feel like I compare to Ted Ginn Jr. He is an amazing athlete that uses his skills well, and we both run the hurdles. I'm actually going for his record for the 110 hurdles (13.40 seconds). Does the history of putting defensive backs into the NFL from a school have any effect on your recruitment? A school that puts DBs in the NFL does stick out to me because, the NFL scouts will continue to come to that school to see the next great DB. Your dad played at Michigan State. What appeals to you about the Spartans and Coach Dantonio in particular? I like the Spartans because of the great family atmosphere and the pride they show for their school, regardless of how the season is going in any sport. Coach Dantonio is a laid-back guy that knows the game. He keeps everything real and he told me I will have a great oppourtunity to play for him as a freshman at cornerback. If you could tell (Buckeye Nation and) your fans one thing, what would it be? I would tell the fans to stay tuned for Feburary 2nd, 2011! HIGHLIGHTS