Does the Syracuse defensive back have a path to a role in Los Angeles?
The Los Angeles Chargers signed former Syracuse safety Devin Grant as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, adding competition to the position group with the Bolts' offseason program on the horizon.
Grant is a former four-star recruit out of Holy Cross High School in Queens and was the No. 2-ranked prospect in New York, according to 247Sports.
The 21-year-old Elmont, NY native spent the first two seasons of his career at Buffalo, posting just nine total tackles (five solo) as a freshman. Grant earned first-team All-MAC honors as a sophomore after recording 79 total tackles (55 solo), three pass breakups, one forced fumble, five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns, earning a career-high 79.4 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus.
Grant transferred to Syracuse as a junior, where he posted 51 total tackles (36 solo), three pass breakups, two sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception in his first season with the program.
In his final season in 2025, Grant recorded 29 total tackles (18 solo), three pass breakups, one sack and one forced fumble. He also added 11 stops and eight total pressures, while missing 12 tackles.
At Syracuse’s Pro Day, Grant measured in at six-foot-four, 206 pounds with 31 1/2-inch arms, 9 5/8-inch hands and a 78 3/8-inch wingspan. He ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash, a 2.64-second 20-yard split and a 1.61-second 10-yard split, along with a 6.98-second three-cone drill and a 4.35-second shuttle. He also posted a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-6 broad jump and 11 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
Grant’s frame and length are among his biggest strengths, giving him natural disruption ability in coverage and at the catch point. He has shown steady ball production throughout his college career and developed into a more versatile defender at Syracuse, where he lined up in multiple alignments and was occasionally used as a blitzer. That usage points to a player comfortable handling expanded responsibilities rather than being limited to a single role, which translates well to the next level.
In Los Angeles, that versatility fits defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary’s scheme, which values interchangeable defensive backs who can rotate between zone looks, man coverage and situational blitzing.
The main developmental focus will be improving consistency as a tackler and refining transitions in man coverage, but his physical tools and schematic flexibility give him a clear pathway to an early rotational role in Los Angeles.
