Antwane Grant: Embracing the Journey of a Granted Lifestyle

The Nashville Kats are playoff-bound and one win away from Arena Crown 2025. Veteran leaders and outstanding offensive production have propelled the Kats to greatness this season. Wide Receiver Antwane Grant is among those veterans who have stepped up big when called upon for Nashville this year. We caught up with Grant before this weekend’s highly anticipated matchup with the Southwest Kansas Storm.

Grant spoke about his upbringing in the State of Delaware, playing football in high school and college, NFL and CFL opportunities, and his current season in Arena Football One. The former Western Kentucky Hilltopper has hauled in 30 receptions for 298 yards and seven touchdowns for Nashville this season. Are you interested in Betting on AF1 playoff action? Head to Bettor Edge to learn more!

from delaware to new york to kentucky

Our story begins in Delaware, but surprisingly enough, it was not on a football field. Grant’s earliest memories of organized sports took place on a soccer pitch. He then pivoted to track, followed by baseball and then basketball. The Wilmington native did not play football until his freshman year of high school. “I would say, I was a soccer player growing up. Track and soccer. From soccer, I transitioned to baseball. Then, [my] first year was freshman year of high school. Football didn’t start until then. I played running back as my first position ever. It wasn’t until my freshman year. I hit a growth spurt. I had 700 receiving yards and 200 rushing yards. Soccer was what we played as a kid. Baseball helped me with using my hand-eye coordination. That’s where that came from. Freshman year of high school is when I started playing football.”

Grant attended John Dickinson High School in Delaware. Being introduced to the sport as a freshman, Grant needed to learn the ins and outs of the game along the way. Back then, the competition was fierce. “We’re not known for it, but the competition was pretty competitive. We were competitive on heart. In high school, for me, I was at a public school. Tried to transition to a private school, but I was not able to do it. We wanted to play the big schools. I went to a few camps heading into my senior year. I was trying to do everything I could. My senior year was good.”

As is the case for many, the JUCO route opens up opportunities only most can dream of. With high school in the rearview, Grant would take his talents to Nassau Community College in New York. With just a few years of organized football under his belt, the soccer player turned receiver would face a new set of challenges. “I step on campus as the only freshman receiver. Three seniors and one freshman. When I went to college, I wanted to be ahead of the game and do things the right way. I Led the team in catches, yards, and I was second in touchdowns my freshman year. We got up to number 3 in the nation. We played Georgia Military Academy. We were in the top ten, but it wasn’t what we wanted. We went 9-2 as a sophomore. Went 18-4 my two years in JUCO. I still hold all the records at my junior college.” Grant finished his JUCO career with 73 receptions, 1,308 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns.

After two stellar seasons at the junior college level, Grant would enroll at Western Kentucky University as a three-star recruit. Joining a team led by legendary coach Bobby Petrino, Grant had to carve out a role as a Hilltopper. “Coming in as a JUCO guy, I was a three-star guy coming out. For me, it was like I was coming into it with Bobby Petrino and looking to transition over. I scored two touchdowns in the spring game that year. I was trying to be the big fish in a small pond. To be a [number] one. A big-time name and a big-time coach. I went in strong, no hesitations.” Grant would haul in 96 catches for 1,210 yards and 13 touchdowns in 24 career games at WKU. 

taking the udfa route

While Grant had shown out in college, the professional level houses the best of the best. After the 2015 NFL draft came and went, Grant did not hear his name get called. He kept his phone close by, and after roughly 20 minutes, the Cincinnati Bengals called Grant with the opportunity of a lifetime. A UDFA contract and a chance to make a National Football League roster. “From college to the NFL, after going 20-7 at Western Kentucky, we had four guys drafted, 7 UDFA’s. We were so successful. For me individually, though, I got a call 20 minutes after the draft from Cincinnati. [I was] in a room with AJ Green, Brandon LaFell, Tyler Boyd, Brandon Tate, and Jake Kumerow. Being a UDFA, we had 13 receivers that year. For me, it was about setting the tone. One of my strengths was blocking. The guys were asking me about ‘what are we doing in the weight room today.’ I learned a lot from those guys. But I understood that it was a business.”

After a stint in the NFL, Grant would then get another life-changing opportunity. This time heading up North to the CFL via the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2017.  Grant talked about what he learned and what the transition was like going from the NFL to the CFL. “For me, it gave me an advantage to understand that, coming out of college, maybe I’m not a 40-time guy. I’m physical and a big guy. It helped my mental clock. You have to be more efficient. You only have three downs compared to four. Coming downhill with the Waggle was an advantage for me. That does nothing but give me an advantage. I’m still able to make plays and do what I do. Knowing how to run routes. Knowing how to run routes off of the route stem. I had Hall of Famers that I got to learn from. Those two years were great for me fundamentally. For us, it was running, running, running. That’s all we did up in Canada.” Grant finished his CFL career with seven receptions for 107 yards. 

After spending time in the two biggest football leagues in the world, Grant took his talents inside. To the Arena Football world to be exact. In 2019, while playing with the Atlantic City Blackjacks, Grant was named the Rookie of the Year. The six-foot-one receiver talked about the subtle transition to the Arena game following his stints in the NFL and CFL. The only transition is conventional to a smaller, condensed field. The CFL helps you to run routes based off of how you hit your route stem off of the Waggle. Speeding your clock up. If you have that knowledge, it’s all football and it gives the offense the advantage. If you can speed things up, you’re good. You have the IQ. When I came in, I had veterans that came in and helped me. I played with guys that helped me understand the game and saw the skillset that I had. Week 6, Week 7 ish, that’s when they handed me the torch. The transition happened naturally.” Grant finished that year with 72 receptions, 959 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns. Grant went on to play two more seasons of Arena Football in 2021 and 2022 with the Columbus Lions and Albany Empire respectively.

the 2025 season

After some time away from the game as a player, Grant is back on the field in 2025. Signed by the Nashville Kats in Week 1, Head Coach Darren Arbet recognized a need in his receiver room and the obvious talent Grant possessed. We asked Grant why he chose Nashville over other opportunities. “For me it was for personal reasons. Nashville made the most sense with my son living in Memphis. I went to Western Kentucky. I have an opportunity. I will be an offensive quality control coach after this season. I’ve been teaching for about four years. Teaching and coaching. Just wanted to wait for this league. I wanted to give them a chance.”

Next, Grant spoke about Head Coach Darren Arbet. Arbet has raved about Grant’s veteran leadership and knowledge of the game on multiple occasions this season. Grant spoke about Arbet and what he has learned from the Hall of Famer both on and off the field. “Coach Arbet. That’s my guy! I’ve learned that it’s all about the minute details. It’s about understanding the game. He understands it about the intangibles and everyone being on the same page. He’s a leader of men. The morale and psyche of it. We’re all on the same page. He brings the details. I’m already detail-oriented. Off the field, he just really cares. You would really be like, wow. He just cares. He always says ‘Go spend five minutes with your teammates. Ask them how they’re doing.’ The things you learn about, you would never think it’s the same guy. That’s all of our coaches. Outside of football, Coach Arbet is a great guy.”

Pivoting to this weekend’s playoff game against the Southwest Kansas Storm, Grant is focused on the task at hand. It will be the rubber match between these two teams. Grant is confident that he and his teammates will have a great game in front of the home crowd this Sunday. Honestly, what you can expect is a high-powered offense. All you’re gonna see is energy. Guys understanding the opportunity at hand. You’ll feel it. Playing in Clarksville, it was an energy. I felt like, because of the stakes at hand, it’s a different energy. When you get the fans and kids, captivating the stadium. That’s what you can expect. All three phases clicking. The laser focus is there. The effort is there. The standard. We’ll go in and execute.” Grant ranks second on the team in receptions and receiving yards entering this weekend’s game against the Storm. 

personal and post-football aspirations

As mentioned above, Grant is a football coach and a teacher when he is not playing football professionally. Grant has other goals and aspirations once this season comes to an end. “[I am] looking to open up a sports academy in Delaware. I was just inducted into my high school's Hall of Fame. [I am Editing and composing a book. The title is ‘Embracing the Journey of a Granted Lifestyle.’ I have a clothing brand as well. Coaching football and giving back to the younger generation. Just give back to them as much as I can.”

Grant has been among the many veteran leaders that have propelled Nashville to the number two seed in the Arena Football One playoffs. If the Kats want to make it to Arena Crown 2025, Grant and the rest of his Nashville teammates must defeat a talented Storm team. Coverage of this massive, nationally televised playoff game begins at 5:30PM EST on VICE TV!