Five reasons to be excited about Jakeem Grant in 2018: A Film Breakdown

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog”

- Some guy with wooden teeth probably

I don’t know who penned those inspiring words, but I do know truer words were never spoken. David and Goliath is one example. The little engine that could is another. Hell, the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles are a great example of what an underdog can do. Enter Jakeem Grant. The 5’6, 169-pound wide receiver out of Texas Tech who is primed to breakout in 2018.

I’ve been a fan of Jakeem Grant ever since he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth-round of the 2016 NFL Draft. My initial breakdown of what he brings to the table can be found HERE.

I later had the opportunity to talk to the producer of NFL Network’s series “Undrafted”, about Grant’s work ethic and what he brings to the table. Grant has not been given many opportunities, but what he did towards the end of the 2017 season has us all hopeful.

Here are five reasons to be excited about Jakeem Grant in 2018.

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Speed Kills

Earlier in the off-season, Albert Wilson said he could beat anyone on the roster in a footrace. It was all friendly banter and yes Wilson is fast, but he’s not Jakeem Grant fast. Grant is the fastest player on the roster (4.34), and one of the fastest in all of the NFL. With the ball in his hands, Grant has a chance at taking one to the house every single time.

Sure, this was just a preseason game. But Jakeem Grant took a quick slant, and outran the entire Philadelphia Eagles’ defense for six. Speed kills.

Later in the 2017 season, Grant was given more opportunities and he made the most of them. We all remember watching Jarvis Landry catch screens, that would net negative results. Here is what Grant can do..

one more look

How many grown men does it take to tackle Jakeem Grant? The world may never know.

Crisp Route Running

One of the most underrated parts of Jakeem Grant’s skill-set is his route running. His quick feet allows him to get in and out of his breaks quickly, and naturally creates separation with the defender. Try to bump him at the line, and he will burn you deep.

Here, you can see Grant turn the boundary cornerback inside out.

We mentioned Jakeem Grant’s elite speed, but what we didn’t mention is how he can be nearly unstoppable when used correctly. Here, you see him sell the inside move, before breaking back outside.

Hard work and Determination

Now that Jarvis Landry is no longer in Miami, the Dolphins have an opening for one of their talented wide receivers to step up. When Grant was showcased on NFL Network’s “Undrafted”, it was obvious nothing would stand in his way from achieving greatness. To this day that remains true.

Throughout this offseason, several videos of Jakeem Grant have surfaced the internet. These videos show him continuing to grind, showing off his hard work and determination. Nothing will stand in Jakeem Grant’s way. Nothing.

Jakeem Grant Moss the Playmaker

It may have been preseason, but Jakeem Grant showed off his ability to make plays albeit vs third-string talent. Grant used great

This was one of the best plays of the 2017 season. Here, we see Grant do things that players his size shouldn’t be able to do. Cutler throws a great ball and In the back of the end zone, Grant goes up and snags the ball over one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. It was on this day he earned the name “Jakeem Moss”.

Below is another look at Grant’s touchdown catch in the end zone.

one more time...

The best is yet to come...

There is no GIF or fancy video that can help me show you the best is yet to come for Jakeem Grant. The man has yet to get a legit opportunity at being a starting wide receiver in the NFL and as we saw above, when he got chances late in the year, he flourished. No matter how small or “undersized” people think he is, the man fights on every opportunity that comes his way. Adam Gase is excited about Jakeem Grant in year three, and I expect him to breakout in 2018.

This article was written by Josh Houtz. Follow him on Twitter!

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