7 Deon Grant
Junior , Defensive Back
6-3, 205, Augusta, Ga.

(Full name: Deon Grant) ... Born Mar. 14, 1979 ... Major: African-American Studies ... Uniform Number: 7.

HONORS - 1999 All-America (AP, Camp, AFCA, FWAA, Football News), 1999 All-SEC (AP, Coaches, Football News)

1999 - Games/Started: 12/12 ... Made 25 consecutive starts at free safety ... Thorpe Award finalist who tied with California's Deltha O'Neal and UAB's Rodregis Brooks for the nation's lead with nine interceptions ... Intercepted at least two passes in a game three times, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying the school record with three interceptions against Auburn while breaking up two passes and recording a tackle for loss among his seven total tackles ... He returned Auburn's first pass play from scrimmage for a 19-yard touchdown ... He began the season with a pick versus Wyoming and snagged two more in the Florida game to push his string to four straight regular season games with an interception ... Following the Auburn game, he went five games in a row without an interception until he grabbed two enemy aerials in the Kentucky game and got a late pick versus Vanderbilt to make him the first Vol since Chris White in 1985 to have nine picks in a season ... His total of nine ties four others (White, Tim Priest 1970, Bill Young 1968, J.W. Sherrill 1949) for the second-most in school history ... His 167 yards on interception returns ranks as the fourth-highest total in school history ... Ranks fifth-place on Tennessee's career interceptions list with 14 ... Finished as UT's second leading tackler ... Came up with a career-high 10 tackles in the Arkansas game and had nine versus South Carolina ... Made at least six tackles in eight of the 11 contests ... Caused a fumble in the Alabama game.

1998 - Games/Started: 13/13 ... SEC Defensive Player of the Week for Georgia game ... A starter at free safety who came up with big performances in clutch situations ... Led squad with five interceptions and six passes broken up ... Ranked fourth on team in tackles with 62 ... His player-of-the-week accolades stemmed from performance against Bulldogs when he had six tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a deflected pass ... Had a touchdown-saving interception along with seven tackles in Florida game ... Made a career-high nine stops against Auburn, including two tackles for loss ... Recovered a fumble against South Carolina ... Recorded third interception versus Arkansas in the end zone ... Had four stops while snagging fourth interception against Vanderbilt ... Picked off fifth aerial in SEC championship game with Mississippi State ... Returned two punts for 11 yards.

1997 - Games/Started: 13/0 ... Played in the defensive backfield and on special teams, finishing the season with 10 tackles ... Caused a fumble on special teams ... Had two hits each in Alabama, Arkansas and Kentucky games ... Saved his best for the postseason, racking up five tackles against Nebraska in FedEx Orange Bowl.

HIGH SCHOOL - First team USA Today All-America ... Rated No. 9 defensive player in nation by The Sporting News ... Member of Fox SportsSouth All-South team and Schutt Sports All-America team ... Chattanooga Times ranked him ninth nationally among prospects ... He had 64 tackles, 35 assists, six interceptions, five caused fumbles and four fumble recoveries as a senior ... Played in Georgia-Florida All-Star Game ... Talented receiver who had 28 catches for eight touchdowns and 622 yards ... Coach at Josey High School: John Starr.