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After a successful season with the Illinois State University football team as a graduate transfer, Fieldcrest alumnus Cam Grandy is working toward the next step in his career.
Grandy will play in the Hula Bowl, an All-Star game for college seniors, on Jan. 13 in Orlando before training for the draft process.
“I have the Hula Bowl in January and I’m really looking forward to that,” Grandy said. “I’ve just been working out, conditioning, trying to be in the best shape I can be just to showcase my skills against some of the best players in the country. Following that, I’m going to go train in Pennsylvania at a place called Grosetti Performance for two months just working on combine stuff - working on the drills and trying to get faster. After that, I’ll be back for Illinois State’s pro day. Hopefully, I can keep playing ball.”
Grandy has signed with an agent and is hopeful he’ll get a shot to play professionally.
“My agent has been doing his best, talking to teams,” Grandy said. “I think I’m definitely be given an opportunity to play at the next level. I just have to do all I can with the opportunity.”
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound Grandy describes himself as a pretty balanced tight end.
“I think I’m a good blocker. If I have to put my hand in the dirt and block somebody, I can,” Grandy said. “But at the same time, I feel I’m a pretty good receiver as well. I feel like I can line up on the outside and win my one-on-one matchups.”
“I think I’m definitely be given an opportunity to play at the next level. I just have to do all I can with the opportunity.”
— Cam Grandy, Fieldcrest graduate
Grandy has put himself in position to play at the next level after a standout season with the Redbirds.
He made 63 receptions for 612 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 9.7 yards per catch and 55.6 yards per game, to help the Redbirds to a 6-5 record.
“It was a pretty good year,” Grandy said. “Obviously, I wish our record was better as a team, but the coaches put me in a good spot and when they called my number I just did what I could do with the ball in my hands. I just did what I could to help the team. The offensive line did a good job. (Quarterback) Zack (Annexstad) did a good finding me.”
Grandy was named All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team, earned a spot on the MVFC All-Newcomer Team and was named first-team All-American by the Associated Press and FCS Football Central.
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“It was big,” Grandy said about earning All-American honors. “I didn’t know that was coming. I just appreciate the coaches and the rest of the guys on the team for putting me in that situation and just believing in me and pushing me in practice and the weight room. I appreciate (tight ends) coach (C.J.) Irvin for always staying after and watching film with me and helping me be the best football player I could be.”
Grandy came to ISU after playing four seasons at Missouri Western, an NCAA Division II school.
“I enjoyed my time at Missouri Western and I enjoyed the town of St. [Joseph],” Grandy said. “I met a lot of good people at Missouri Western. As a tight end, it was kind of the same as Illinois State with how they used us just being able to lineup outside as a receiver, in the backfield as a wing. The offense wasn’t really that big of a change, it was really just learning the different terminology.”
At Missouri Western, Grandy made the transition to tight end after playing quarterback for Fieldcrest. He led the Knights to a 7-3 record as a senior in 2017 and was named NewsTribune Offensive Football Player of the Year.
“Playing quarterback in high school definitely helped me to line up and read coverages and stuff like that,” Grandy said. “It was definitely tough having to put the weight on. I think when I graduated at Fieldcrest playing quarterback I was maybe 190 and I’m at like 255 now. I feel like that was the biggest transition just being able to gain the weight and being able to use the weight as I should, just to run and get fluid with it.”
After graduating from Missouri Western, Grandy entered the transfer portal and ended up at ISU.
“The biggest thing for me was really just being closer to home for my last year of college football, just being closer to friends and family,” Grandy said. “It allowed them to go to the games and follow me. A big thing was the coaches too. As soon as I came on my visit I felt welcomed. I sat down with coach Irvin and we talked ball for a long time. He was showing me what I could do in the offense. It was a no-brainer decision for me.
“The coaches and players on the team definitely made the transition (to ISU) an easy one for me. Obviously, there was going to be a speed and size difference going from Division II to FCS football, but overall the transition was pretty easy. … I appreciate ISU reaching out to me when I was in the portal. I have no regrets coming to ISU. It was definitely a good last ride.”