In Will Grier’s home in Morgantown, West Virginia, there’s a photo of him as an 11-year-old wearing a Lake Norman Giants uniform, preparing for the 2006 Christmas Town Bowl.
A few weeks ago, Chad Grier noticed the picture as he and his son discussed the upcoming NFL draft.
“I said, ‘If somebody told you that little boy is going to get picked in the seventh round by the Buffalo Bills, how happy would that kid be?’” Chad recalled. “I told him, ‘Man, you’re going to get picked before the seventh round and it’s not going to be by Buffalo.’”
Most draft analysts see Grier being selected in the second or third round, behind Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock, who are considered likely first-round picks. The Carolina Panthers could be one of the teams that could target him on Day 2.
Born just five months before the Panthers played their first NFL game, Grier grew up a stone’s throw from Carolina’s Bank of America Stadium in nearby Davidson, North Carolina. From the time he was 3, Grier sat in the stands and cheered for his hometown NFL team.cheap nfl jerseys china nike
During the April 25-27 draft, Will will be with his father and famous brothers — social media stars Nash and Hayes — at his uncle’s house, only four miles away from the stadium.
“If the Panthers draft him, I will drive him there,” Will’s father told ESPN.com. “That would be incredible. From Day 1, we’ve been Panthers people.”
There’s definitely interest from Carolina. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner and quarterbacks coach Scott Turner recently attended West Virginia’s pro day, and they reportedly had a steak dinner with Grier the previous night.
The Panthers don’t plan to spend their first-round pick (No. 16) on a quarterback, as Cam Newton’s prognosis is good as he rehabs after shoulder surgery. But as the Carolina starter approaches 30, looking for a long-term replacement in this draft might be in the Panthers’ plans.china nike nfl jerseys cheap
Not that Grier believes he should fall that far. He told reporters at the NFL combine, “I’m the best quarterback in the draft.” Chad Grier, who coached his son in high school at Davidson Day School before moving to Oceanside Collegiate Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, agrees.
“I admire Will’s confidence and willingness to say that,” the elder Grier said. “He’s a guy, from a total quarterback perspective, he is the best quarterback in the draft.
“He’s not going to be a risk off the field. He’s just going to be an all-in guy that wins. Strictly from a football perspective, he’s the lowest-risk and highest-return quarterback in the draft.”
