Grant is headed to SEC

Uriah Grant had pretty much narrowed his options to Ole Miss and Washington and after his visit to see the Rebels this weekend it was clear that the Fullerton (Calif.) Fullerton C.C. defensive tackle had found his new home.

Ole Miss had a slight edge Grant's recruitment for a while. The trip to Oxford only helped the 6-foot-1, 280-pound prospect make his decision a little easier.

"Just the relationship and the players stood out and it was about how comfortable I felt," Grant said. "At points, it didn't even feel like I was on a visit. It felt like I was already on the team. It was just a great visit. I loved it. The second I stepped off the plane I loved it there."

Grant's relationship with Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt was also important. Nutt had an in-home visit with Grant in recent weeks and that helped sell the Rebels on him. There was a high comfort level there that helped Grant during his decision-making process.

"That was really important due to the fact, and not only my mom feels this way, that we can trust coach Nutt," Grant said. "I feel like I can talk to coach Nutt about more than the Xs and Os. I can talk to him about life in general."

It has been a long road for Grant, who said he's happy to finally have his recruitment finished.

The former three-star prospect from Miramar (Fla.) Everglades started his college career at Wake Forest and when that didn't work out he landed at Fullerton C.C.

Arizona, Baylor, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Middle Tennessee, SMU and Utah State had also offered and Miami was getting involved but Ole Miss and Washington made Grant's final cut. The visit this weekend sealed it that the Rebels were the right fit for him.

"I'm very happy," Grant said. "It's been a very long road for me. A lot of people don't understand what I went through except for my mom and my sister. I've been down a long road.

"At times, it felt like I wasn't going to get back to where I wanted to be. I was one of the top recruits in the nation. I felt like I needed a chance again. Things don't always work out the way you want them. The things I went through have helped me mature as a man and as a person. Each program I learned something new to make me the person I am today."