Jakeem Grant facts for kids
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Grant with the Cleveland Browns in 2023
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| Position: | Wide receiver Return specialist |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | October 30, 1992 Athens, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 170 lb (77 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | John Horn (Mesquite, Texas) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Texas Tech (2011–2015) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2016 / Round: 6 / Pick: 186 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Jakeem Grant Sr. (born October 30, 1992) is an American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver and a return specialist. He was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the 2016 NFL draft. Grant has also played for the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. While there, he set a school record for receiving yards. In 2021, Grant made history for the Bears. He scored a 97-yard punt return touchdown. This was the longest punt return touchdown in the team's history. It is also the tenth longest in NFL history.
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Early Life and High School Football
Jakeem Grant grew up in Mesquite, Texas. He went to John Horn High School. Experts at Rivals.com thought he was a promising player. Many colleges wanted him to play for their teams. He first planned to go to Tulsa University. But he later decided to play for Texas Tech.
College Football Career
Grant started his college football journey in 2011. He spent his first year as a redshirt, meaning he practiced but didn't play in games.
Playing for Texas Tech
In 2012, Grant played in all 13 games. He caught 32 passes for 287 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. This happened in the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. ESPN named him to their All-Big 12 1st Team for freshmen.
In 2013, Grant played in 12 games. He caught 65 passes for 796 yards and seven touchdowns. He was recognized as an All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention.
The 2014 season saw Grant play in 12 games again. He had 67 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He earned All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention honors once more.
Record-Breaking Senior Year
In his final college season in 2015, Grant was outstanding. He was named a second-team All-American by CBS Sports. The Associated Press also named him a third-team All-American. He caught 90 passes for 1,268 yards and 10 touchdowns. This broke the school record for career receiving yards. He also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns that season. This set a new school record for kickoff return touchdowns.
During a special practice day for NFL scouts, Grant showed his speed. A scout timed his 40-yard dash at 4.1 seconds. This was a very fast time. His official electronic time was 4.34 seconds.
Professional Football Career
Jakeem Grant was chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the 2016 NFL draft. He was the 186th player picked overall.
Miami Dolphins (2016–2021)
Grant's first professional touchdown came in 2016. It was a 74-yard punt return against the Tennessee Titans. This play was even featured on 'NFL Now's Top 5 Most Athletic Plays'. He mainly helped the team as a returner on special teams.
In 2017, Grant played in all 16 games. He caught 13 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to be a key player on kickoff and punt returns.
The 2018 season started strong for Grant. He scored a 102-yard kickoff return touchdown. This earned him the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. He also had two receiving touchdowns in a game against the Oakland Raiders. Later, he scored a 70-yard punt return touchdown. Unfortunately, he had an Achilles injury and missed the rest of the season.
In 2019, Grant signed a four-year contract extension with the Dolphins. He returned a kickoff for a 101-yard touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. He later suffered an ankle injury and was placed on injured reserve. He played in ten games that season.
Grant had a memorable game in 2020 against the Los Angeles Rams. He returned a punt for an 88-yard touchdown. During this game, he set three Dolphins team records. These included the longest punt return and most career punt return touchdowns. He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. After the season, he earned Second-team All-Pro honors as a punt returner.
Chicago Bears (2021)
In October 2021, Grant was traded to the Chicago Bears. He quickly made an impact. In Week 13, he had five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. In Week 14, he caught a 46-yard touchdown pass. He also returned a punt for a 97-yard touchdown. This amazing performance earned him the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl.
Cleveland Browns (2022–2023)
Grant signed with the Cleveland Browns in March 2022. However, he injured his Achilles tendon during practice. This injury caused him to miss the entire 2022 season.
In 2023, Grant suffered another knee injury during the preseason. He was diagnosed with a ruptured patellar tendon. This injury meant he missed the entire 2023 season as well.
Atlanta Falcons (2024)
In August 2024, Grant signed with the Atlanta Falcons. However, he was placed on injured reserve a few days later and then released. He briefly rejoined their practice squad in November but was released again.
Personal Life
Jakeem Grant grew up in Dallas, Texas. He was raised by his mom, Sylvia Whittaker, along with his two brothers. He is now married and has three children. In 2016, Grant was featured in the NFL Network TV series Undrafted.
Images for kids
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Grant with the Cleveland Browns in 2023
