Antonio Grier
{{Short description|American football player (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Antonio Grier
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| number = 48
| position = Linebacker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|18}}
| birth_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 230
| high_school = Benjamin Elijah Mays
(Atlanta, Georgia)
| college = South Florida (2018–2022)
Arkansas (2023)
| undraftedyear = 2024
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Tackles
| statvalue1 = 1
| statlabel2 =
| statvalue2 =
| pfr = GrieAn00
}}
Antonio Grier Jr. (born January 18, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Florida Bulls and Arkansas Razorbacks and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buccaneers in 2024.
Early life
Grier was born on January 18, 2000, in Atlanta, Georgia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrieAn00.htm|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Antonio Grier Stats}} He attended Benjamin Elijah Mays High School in Atlanta, playing three seasons of football team while recording 214 tackles, 19.0 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), six sacks, eight forced fumbles and three interceptions.{{Cite web|url=https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/antonio-grier/|publisher=Arkansas Razorbacks|title=Antonio Grier}} He was honorable mention All-Class 6A as a junior and was named the regional defensive player of the year as a senior. He signed to play college football for the South Florida Bulls in 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jan/07/grier-makes-final-decision-to-be-a-hog/|newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|title=Grier makes final decision to be a Razorback|author=Davenport, Richard|date=January 7, 2023}}
College career
As a freshman at South Florida in 2018, Grier appeared in 12 games, posting eight tackles and a fumble recovery.{{Cite web|url=https://gousfbulls.com/sports/football/roster/antonio-grier/13411|publisher=South Florida Bulls|title=Antonio Grier}} In 2019, he appeared in all 12 games, six as a starter, and made 58 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. The following year, he earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) honors after posting 59 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in eight games.{{Cite news|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/dec/24/razorbacks-sign-south-florida-lb/|newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|title=Razorbacks sign South Florida LB|date=December 24, 2022|author=Davenport, Richard}} In 2021, he started 12 games and posted a team-leading 92 tackles with eight TFLs, three sacks and two interceptions, repeating as a second-team All-AAC selection.{{Cite news|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2022/12/12/usf-lb-antonio-grier-announces-decision-to-transfer-to-ucf/|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=December 12, 2022|title=USF LB Antonio Grier announces decision to transfer to UCF |author=Beede, Jason}} Grier played in the first three games of the 2022 season, recording 21 tackles, before suffering a season-ending hand injury and choosing to redshirt.{{Cite web|url=https://arkansas.rivals.com/news/top-20-countdown-no-13-antonio-grier|website=Rivals.com|title=Top 20 countdown: No. 13 - Antonio Grier|date=July 22, 2023|author=McFerran, Riley}}
Grier opted to transfer following the 2022 season, signing to play with the Arkansas Razorbacks for his final year of college football.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2023/apr/06/grier-quickly-gained-respect-of-teammates/|website=WholeHogSports.com|title=LB transfer Grier quickly gained respect of teammates|date=April 6, 2023|author=Bordelon, Scottie}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2022/dec/22/arkansas-inks-transfer-linebacker/|newspaper=Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|title=Razorbacks sign transfer linebacker|author=Davenport, Richard|date=December 22, 2022}} On his first play with Arkansas, he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown.{{Cite news|url=https://www.swtimes.com/story/sports/college/sec/2023/09/12/antonio-grier-recaps-one-of-a-kind-first-snap-for-arkansas-football/70836935007/|newspaper=Southwest Times Record|title=Antonio Grier recaps one-of-a-kind first snap for Arkansas football|author=Fuller, Jackson|date=September 12, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nwahomepage.com/sports/pig-trail-nation/antonio-grier-jr-fitting-right-in-at-arkansas/|publisher=KNWA-TV|title=Antonio Grier Jr. fitting right in at Arkansas|date=September 14, 2023|author=Pattyson, Jason}} Playing as the third linebacker for Arkansas, he finished seventh on the team with 36 tackles in his lone year as a Razorback.{{Cite news|url=https://razorbackswire.usatoday.com/2024/04/28/arkansas-linebacker-antonio-grier-signs-tampa-bay-bucs/|newspaper=USA Today|title=Former Hogs linebacker Antonio Grier signs with Bucs|date=April 28, 2024|author=Wayne, E.}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2024/05/16/bucs-antonio-grier-larry-foote-usf-arkansas/|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|title=Former USF star Antonio Grier makes solid first impression with Bucs|author=Knight, Joey|date=May 16, 2024}} He declared for the 2024 NFL draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/college/arkansas/hogs-football/grier-nfl-draft-linebacker-pittman-transfer-portal-hogs-sec-jd|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Another One Leaving: Arkansas LB Enters NFL Draft|date=December 31, 2023|author=Davis, Jacob}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 7/8
| weight = 230
| dash = 4.64
| ten split = 1.56
| twenty split = 2.62
| shuttle = 4.39
| cone drill = 7.44
| vertical = 36.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 10
| bench = 22
| arm span = 30 1/2
| hand span = 9 3/4
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1024352&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Antonio Grier College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=October 3, 2024}}
}}
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Grier signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. He was waived on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nfl/buccaneers/tampa-bay-buccaneers-news/tampa-bay-buccaneers-finalize-53-man-roster-for-2024-season-cut-info|website=Sports Illustrated|title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers Finalize 53-Man Roster For 2024 Season|author=Allen, JC|date=August 27, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/wrs-miller-shepard-thompson-return-bucs-first-practice-squad-2024|publisher=Tampa Bay Buccaneers|title=WRs Miller, Shepard, Thompson All Return on Bucs' First Practice Squad of 2024 |date=August 29, 2024|author=Smith, Scott}} He was signed to the active roster off the practice squad on October 1.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/buccaneers-antonio-grier-signed-off-practice-squad/|publisher=CBS Sports|agency=RotoWire|title=Buccaneers' Antonio Grier: Signed off practice squad|date=October 1, 2024}} He was waived on November 22, and re-signed to the practice squad.{{cite web |last1=Comeaux |first1=Jonathan |title=Buccaneers Waive LB Antonio Grier |url=https://nfltraderumors.co/buccaneers-waive-lb-antonio-grier/ |website=NFL Trade Rumors |access-date=November 23, 2024}} On December 7, Grier was promoted to the active roster.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Scott |title=Bucs Promote LB Antonio Grier to Active Roster |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-promote-lb-antonio-grier-active-roster |website=buccaneers.com |access-date=December 8, 2024}} On December 31, the Buccaneers re-signed Grier to their practice squad.{{Cite web|title=NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/31/24|url=https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/12/nfl-practice-squad-updates-12-31-24|access-date=January 2, 2025|website=profootballrumors.com|language=en}} He signed a reserve/future contract on January 14, 2025.{{cite web|title=Bucs Re-Sign 17 Practice Squad Players to 2025 Futures Deals|url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-re-sign-full-practice-squad-2025-futures-deals|author=Smith, Scott|website=Buccaneers.com|date=January 14, 2025}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://gousfbulls.com/sports/football/roster/antonio-grier/13411 South Florida Bulls bio]
- [https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/antonio-grier/ Arkansas Razorbacks bio]
- [https://www.buccaneers.com/team/players-roster/antonio-grier-jr/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio]
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grier, Antonio}}
Category:Players of American football from Atlanta
Category:American football linebackers
Category:South Florida Bulls football players