Falcons set to host several area players on ‘Locals Day’

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons are set to host several players from the area during their “Locals Day” on Friday.

“There are a lot of players from Georgia,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. “We love our hometown guys.”

Former Buford running back Anthony Grant, who played at Florida State and Nebraska, has an invite to the Falcons’ Locals Day.

Grant also spent some time in junior college before resurfacing at Nebraska.

“Everything wasn’t perfect or what I wanted it to be, but I really enjoyed it for what it was and what it made me as a person,” Grant told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday. “I feel like it really put me in a good position with myself and my heart. I felt like I could have done more. Just the whole journey and whole process was lovely, and I loved it. I wouldn’t ever change it to anything else.”

Nebraska came to watch Grant play and practice when he was at New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and 2021.

“I knew they had tradition,” Grant said. “I knew it was the best situation for me.”

Grant is 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds. He rushed 327 times for 1,328 yards and nine touchdowns at Florida State (2018) and Nebraska (202223). He also returned kickoffs and averaged 21 yards on 14 returns.

Grant is hoping to impress the Falcons during the workout. He’s also talked with the Jaguars.

“Honestly, I feel like I can add a warrior to an NFL team,” Grant said. “A resilient, violate, well disciplined, well taught and a learner. I want to be a top-tier athlete. I really want to be the best at whatever I do. Putting me in a position to be on a professional team would do nothing but elevate me and push me to exactly where I want to be.”

Grant is willing to play on special teams. He played on the special-teams units in high school and at Florida State.

Grant, who amassed more than 1,700 yards at New Mexico Military Institute, is consider a sleeper prospect.

“Regardless, I’ll take free agency,” Grant said. “As long as I can get to camp and make the practice squad, I feel like they just need to see my talent. I’m a really, really productive guy. I can really produce and be a reliable back. That’s what I’m trying to be, a consistent back.”

All Grant is hoping for is a shot.

“I really feel like if a team took a chance on me, they wouldn’t regret it,” Grant said. “I’m the type of player to earn his.”

Grant enjoyed his prep days at Buford, where he was an all-state selection and region player of the year as a senior.

“It was like, at Buford I was living out my dream when I was younger,” Grant said. “Watching all of the legends go through there . ... A lot of really, really great talent that came through Buford at the time. That’s ultimately how I fell in love with football.”

The Falcons have struck gold in the past on their Locals Day. The team hit it big with right tackle Ryan Schraeder in 2013. After a stellar career at Valdosta State, Schraeder was signed as an undrafted free agent based on a Locals Day workout.

He went on to play in 88 NFL games and made 73 starts from 2013-18. He started in five playoff games, including Super Bowl 51.

Other known invitees include:

■ Wide receiver/kick returner Dominick Blaylock, who played at Walton High and Georgia Tech and Georgia.

Blaylock, who has good hands and is a precise route-runner, is 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. He played at Georgia (2019-22) and at Tech (2023). He had 56 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns over his career.

He had a career-high 21 catches and a career-high 337 yards last season at Tech.

■ Running back Reese White, who played at Riverwood High and Coastal Carolina.

Reese White is 5-10, 195 pounds. He played at Coastal Carolina from 2019-23 and rushed 372 times for 1,956 yards and 23 touchdowns. He caught 28 passes for 296 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned four kickoffs.

White played running back and safety at Riverwood for coach Robert Edwards. He rushed for 34 touchdowns and 3,145 yards over his high school career.

■ Defensive tackle Zion Logue, who played at Georgia. Logue is 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds.

Logue played in 42 games at Georgia. He had 52 tackles over his career and batted down three passes last season.

■ Linebacker Andrew White, who played at Texas A&M and Georgia Tech. He’s 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds.

■ Linebacker Jamal Hill, who played at Morrow High and Oregon. He’s 6-foot and 226 pounds. He started his career as a safety.

Draft-eligible players from the metro area are allowed to work out for their local team. The workouts will be in Flowery Branch and will not be open to the public.