Oak Ridge High Grad Grant Stuard In Minicamp With Buccaneers

Tampa, FL —Regardless of what happens to Oak Ridge High and University of Houston grad Grant Stuard during his pro football career, he'll be able to tell his kids and grandkids that he shared a field with Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs began mandatory minicamp on Monday, and Stuard is a rookie linebacker who was the final pick in the 2021 NFL Draft (7th round, 259th). His name might not be familiar to many Tampa Bay fans yet, but Stuard's long, curly red hair flowing out of his Bucs helmet makes it hard to miss the 5-foot-11, 230-pounder.

"I like when people acknowledge (the hair)," Stuard said in an interview last month on the Bucs' YouTube channel. "It's part of me, part of my personality, part of my story. I remember my dad telling me to grow it out when I was younger. After I grew it out, I thought it was kind of cool. Then, when you could start to see it out of the back of my helmet, like my sophomore year of high school, I started realizing: "oh yeah, this is the move.'"

Stuard's hair is not the only thing that caught the Bucs' attention at their Rookie Minicamp in May and during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) last week.

Though the final pick in each NFL Draft is deemed "Mr. Irrelevant," a story about Stuard on a Bucs website called ThePewterPlank.com, fell under the headline "Grant Stuard Making 'Mr. Irrelevant,' Relevant."

In the story, Bucs reporter Jim Barnhardt acknowledges Stuard may be a bit of an underdog in camp, but said the former Houston Cougars captain and 2020 First-Team American Athletic Conference linebacker is making an impression.

"Stuard has certainly been making his mark in OTAs and is taking on leadership roles; something he did back in Houston, that of which coach (Bruce) Arians and his crew sees," Barnhadt wrote.

Barnhardt said Stuard might remind some Bucs fans of former linebacker Riley Bullough, who made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Stuard also appears to have a chip on his shoulder in order to prove that he's not irrelevant.

"Stuard may just have that little bit extra something to actually crack into this final 53-man roster," Barnhardt wrote. "Not that anyone trying to make an NFL team doesn't have the drive and desire to give it their all, but Stuard seems to want to prove it just a tad bit more, to not only his team, but to himself and his family.

"Stuard seems to also have the skills and the faith to back it up. You can hear it in his interviews and see it in OTAs. He doesn't take this opportunity lightly, or for granted either."

Stuard's life story certainly suggests an ability to persevere against the odds.

During the sit-down with Bucs reporter Casey Phillips on YoutTube, Stuard spoke about his childhood, where he went through a stretch with his father in prison. His mother also continues a longtime struggle with addiction. Stuard often was forced to be like a parent to two younger siblings.

"There were a lot of times where I was forced to provide, to figure stuff out and adapt," Stuard said. "That helped me as an adult, being able to face adversity and be able to find a solution.

"Every day I'm grateful for that portion of my life. Even though it was tough, it helped build character and made the bond between me and my siblings stronger."

Stuard said regardless of what was going on at home during his youth, sports was the one activity that brought his family together. He said his parents always found a way to ensure he could keep playing football.

"That's where I found my worth," Stuard said. "As a kid, I felt like I already had a 'why' for being out there. When people say what is your 'why,' my 'why' is football because that literally was my everything at a young age, it was the game."

Stuard said many people helped him along the way, which has made him passionate about giving back to others. Though some athletes might wait until they are established professionals to start doing charity work, Stuard has jumped in with both feet.

At his Pro Day in April, Stuard's bench press reps became a fundraising effort for Heels to Halos, a Christian organization that fights to end sex trafficking and get women out of the sex industry. According to SportsSpectrum.com, just a few days into the effort, Stuard had raised $5,238, surpassing his goal of $5,000.

Stuard also was active in the community while at U of H, helping to organize a food drive for the Houston Food Bank and a school supplies drive for Conroe.

Stuard said he's also working to launch his own nonprofit called God's Timing.

"I went from thinking I would be a 4th or 5th-round pick. Then I couldn't run during my Pro Day (because of injury), and thought I might go undrafted," Stuard said. "I had teams I thought would draft me. I never spoke to the Buccaneers. But it really showed me that it's on God's time and not mine. He put me literally in the best place I can be."