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CLEMSON, S.C. — Devin Grant’s season began with compounding injuries. Returning from a torn MCL late in 2024 that forced him out of the Holiday Bowl, Grant was dehydrated and had the flu before Syracuse’s season opener against then-No. 24 Tennessee.

Grant played through it, but hurt his ankle in the process. The injury sidelined him for SU’s home matchups with UConn and Colgate. But when the Orange’s Atlantic Coast Conference slate opened Saturday, Grant was shot out of a cannon and ready to go.

“Devin Grant’s a dog,” SU head coach Fran Brown said twice postgame.

Even with a slight limp, Grant emerged like a bat out of hell to wreck Clemson’s offense Saturday as the Orange (3-1, 1-0 ACC) took down the Tigers (1-3, 0-2 ACC) 34-21. The senior safety recorded a team-high 10 tackles with two for loss, while also breaking up a Hail Mary attempt from Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik at the end of the first half.

Grant was all over the field in Death Valley as the Orange’s swiss army knife. With fellow safety Duce Chestnut limited to five snaps, Grant played 70. Per Pro Football Focus, Grant came off the edge on six snaps. He lined up in the box on 16. Eight were from the free safety position. Forty came in the slot.

“I was just trying to do my best for whatever the team needed,” Grant said. “Whether it was rushing the passer in coverage, cheering on my teammates, any role that’s possible, just be there for my team.”

Grant wouldn’t specify if he set Clemson as his target date to return. He saw his ankle injury as a “week-to-week” setback. But returning to start ACC play had to be intriguing. And he’s used to playing through injury anyway.

Grant’s now in his second year with the Orange after two years at Buffalo. He made the biggest play of his career — and Syracuse’s season — against then-No. 8 Miami last year, punching out the ball from Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, recovering it and running 56 yards to the end zone for SU’s first lead.

Following the win over Miami, Brown revealed that Grant was playing on a torn MCL for multiple weeks, and the regular-season finale would be his last game of the year.

“When I figured out I had the injury, it was just like, ‘Okay, can I play through it? Is it something I need to fix now?’” Grant said.

Once he received the okay to keep playing, Grant persevered despite the pain. He used the same mindset 10 months later in South Carolina.

Syracuse’s defense didn’t touch the field until halfway through the opening quarter, when the Orange already held a 10-0 lead. But Grant lined up in the slot opposite Clemson star wide receiver Antonio Williams. Klubnik looked to Williams short on the second play of the drive, and Grant used his 6-foot-4 frame to wrap up.

Grant recorded another tackle on the same drive. But he truly established himself as SU’s alpha in the second quarter. On a second-and-10, Klubnik swung a pass left to running back Adam Randall. Grant quickly broke from his coverage area deep in the box to knock Randall back for a one-yard loss. He jumped to his feet, banging his helmet with elation.

The Orange’s defense held strong as their offense scored yet again to build a 24-7 lead. When the Tigers’ offense came back out, starving for a score, Grant blew up another play in the backfield. He lined up in the slot again, this time versus 5-foot-11 Tyler Brown. Brown’s task was to block Grant for a screen pass to Bryant Wesco Jr. Instead, Grant breezed past Brown and knocked Wesco back for a loss of two.

Grant hopped to his feet again, banging his helmet twice and stomping his Kobe 6 Grinch cleats on the Memorial Stadium grass. At halftime, Grant led SU with five tackles.

He was thriving at the top of his game on a big stage. Then came a wrinkle in Grant and the Orange’s plans.

A lightning delay at halftime lasted over 90 minutes and could’ve made Grant’s already sore ankle even more stiff. So he focused on ankle mobility and stretching during the delay. Then, he closed his eyes and took a 10-minute nap to regain energy. As the delay continued, Grant said Syracuse’s locker room “turned up” to NBA Youngboy.

Then the Orange returned to the field and Grant continued as a bandit on the gridiron. He waited a few weeks to return. Grant wasn’t going to miss his moment.

While out due to injury, Grant said he was deeply involved in practices and on the sidelines in the games. He told his teammates what he saw, and they implemented it. The altered perspective helped in the second half as Syracuse looked to seal a program-altering win.

Grant was around Klubnik multiple times in the backfield but couldn’t wrap up the quarterback. However, his pressure forced Klubnik into a few incompletions and broken plays. Grant tallied three more tackles in the third quarter. Another came in the fourth as the Orange defense allowed just seven points in the entire half.

His Instagram username is showtime.dev for a reason. Grant even has a flashy chain with the nickname “showtime.” Grant shifts into a different gear when the lights are brightest. And he likely has more in the tank.

“I can’t wait till he’s 100% and you can see the real Devin Grant,” Brown said. “But you’re starting to see glimpses of it. Every time there’s big plays on the field, it’s Devin Grant.”

Published on September 21, 2025 at 10:34 am
Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky