Jon Gruden says Kenneth Grant might be his ‘favorite player’ in the NFL Draft

Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant was the third Michigan player taken in the top 15 of the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday. Former NFL head coach and current Barstool Sports personality Jon Gruden raved about Grant after the Miami Dolphins took him at No. 13.

Kenneth Grant gets high praise from Jon Gruden

The only defensive tackle taken before Grant was his former teammate Mason Graham. Gruden said Grant was near the top of his board. 

New: Colston Loveland could compete for Offensive Rookie of the Year under play-calling mastermind Ben Johnson

“He might’ve been my favorite player in the draft, “ Gruden said on the 2025 En Eff El Draft show. “This guy comes out of the stack, man. You wanna throw a bubble screen over there? Kenneth Grant will walk you down, man. He comes out of the trash. This guy plays his a** off. I love Kenneth Grant.

“He’s a 3-technique – a guy that can play on the outside shoulder of the guard – and he can move. He (was) a great football player at Michigan. I love this pick.”

In addition to 3-technique, Grant is dominant as a nose tackle. The 6-foot-4, 331 pounder set career-highs in tackles (32) and passes defended (5) last season at Michigan while playing next to Graham.

More: Michigan Has Three Players Drafted in Round One of the NFL Draft

Grant will likely be next to Zach Sieler in the middle of the Dolphins’ defensive front, with Bradley Chubb adding pressure off the edge. If Grant gets one-on-one blocks, he could have a monster rookie season.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms