Gifted athlete with great instincts for making plays on the ball … Took over the starting job at free safety after signing with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent on March 11, 2004 ... Reunited with his former defensive coordinator from Carolina in Jack Del Rio … Durable player has started all 32 games with the Jaguars and 80 consecutive games after spending his entire rookie campaign on injured reserve after fracturing his left hip … Collected three interceptions and 1.5 sacks with the Jaguars in 2005 … Ranked second on the Panthers defense with five interceptions in 2001, helping the defense set a team single-season record and tie for third in the NFL with 24 interceptions … Gained valuable postseason experience in 2003 during the Panthers run to the Super Bowl … Helped the Jaguars tie a franchise record with 19 interceptions in 2005 …
2005
Started 16 games for the fifth consecutive season, and ranked fourth on the team with 90 tackles (69 solo) … Ranked tied for third on the team with three interceptions, and totaled 1.5 sacks and 12 passes defensed … One of three Jaguars defensive backs who started every game, along with LCB Rashean Mathis and RCB Kenny Wright … Recorded a team-high 10 tackles (six solo) along with Mike Peterson in a postseason start at New England on Jan. 7 … Began season with best game of the year against Seattle on Sept. 11 with five solo tackles, one interception and a half sack both off Matt Hasselback … Collected second interception off Jamie Martin along with five tackles on Oct. 31 at St. Louis … Recorded six solo tackles and one sack of David Carr on Nov. 6 vs. Houston … Tied season-high with nine solo tackles and one Kurt Warner interception on Nov. 27 at Arizona … Tallied nine total tackles on Dec. 11 vs. Indianapolis (eight solo) and on Jan. 1 vs. Tennessee (six solo) …
2004
Started 16 games for the fourth consecutive season, registering his third-highest career tackle total with 84 (63 solo) and ranked sixth on the team … Recorded two interceptions, one fumble recovery, one sack and 11 passes defensed … One of four Jaguars defensive backs that started every game in 2004, along with SS Donovin Darius, LCB Rashean Mathis and RCB Dewayne Washington, marking only the second time that has been accomplished in Jaguars history (1999) … Recorded seven tackles and two passes defensed in a win at Indianapolis on Oct. 24 … Set season-highs with eight tackles against Kansas City on Oct. 17 and at Houston on Oct. 31 … Started his 60th consecutive game against Pittsburgh on Dec. 5 and responded with seven tackles and a nine-yard sack of Ben Roethlisberger … On Dec.19 against Green Bay in Lambeau Field made a spectacular interception off Brett Favre in the back of the endzone to thwart the Packers’ comeback attempt and also recovered a fumble … In home-finale against Houston on Dec. 26 picked off a David Carr pass to mark the eighth time a Jaguars defender has had back-to-back games with an interception … Finished the season at Oakland on Jan. 2 with his 64th consecutive start in the NFL …
2003
Started 16 games for the third consecutive season, registering a career-high 105 tackles in addition to 13 passes defensed, five quarterback hurries, three interceptions, one sack and one fumble recovery in final season in Carolina … Started at free safety on Sept. 28 vs. Atlanta and led the team with a career-high 12 tackles in addition to two quarterback hurries. Named AP defensive player of the week. … Accounted for five tackles, two passes defensed and his first interception of the season Nov. 23 at Dallas. Interception came off Dallas quarterback Quincy Carter on a Hail-Mary to close out the first half. … On Dec. 7 at Atlanta, was second on the team with 10 tackles in addition to two passes defensed, one interception and his first sack of the season. Sack and interception came against Falcon quarterback Michael Vick. Interception came with 14 seconds left in regulation on the three yard line to send the game into overtime. … In the season finale Dec. 28, led the defensive backs with six tackles in addition to two quarterback hurries, one batted pass and his third interception of the season … Interception came off Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer. Played key role in limiting Giants to 175 yards total offense. … Started all four postseason contests including Super Bowl XXXVIII, where he collected eight tackles and one pass defensed … Finished the postseason notching 31 tackles, one quarterback hurry, 3 passes defensed and one interception ...
2002
Started all 16 games at free safety … Produced 83 tackles in addition to finishing second on the team with three interceptions and 15 passes defensed … Had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a defense that ended the season without allowing an individual 300-yard passer and ranked fourth in pass defense, the highest ranking in team history … The unit also ranked second in the NFL in third down efficiency and fifth in opposing quarterback rating. Earned his first career NFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition at Minnesota on Sept. 22 after recording a team-record three interceptions off Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper …
2001
After spending his rookie season on injured reserve, was one of three Panthers defensive players to start all 16 games ... Finished the season ranked second on the team with five interceptions and 12 passes defensed … Recorded 74 tackles, one sack and two special teams tackles … Helped the defense tie for third in the NFL and set a team single-season record with 24 interceptions … Team’s 36 take-aways tied for the second-highest total in team history, equaling the 1995 total … Made two interceptions in finale vs. New England Jan. 6 …
2000
Dislocated and fractured left hip during seven-on-seven drills in a training camp practice against the Detroit Lions (7/26) and was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 20.
COLLEGE
A first-team All-America selection by The Sporting News, Football News, Walter Camp and the American Football Coaches Association and a second team pick by The Associated Press ... All-SEC first team choice, the Associated Press SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive back as a junior in 1999. Led the nation with nine interceptions, the second highest total in Tennessee history, which he returned for 167 yards, the third highest single season total in school annals, and a touchdown. Starter in all 12 contests, he finished second on the team with 69 tackles, eight passes defensed and a forced fumble while posting three two-interception contests … Started all 12 games at free safety as a sophomore and registered 62 tackles, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and six passes defensed, helping the Volunteers claim a national championship in 1998 … Appeared in every game as a freshman in 1997, accounting for 10 tackles and a forced fumble … Majored in electrical engineering.
PERSONAL
Single with one daughter, DeYon Imorie Grant … Lives in Atlanta, Ga. … Attended Josey High in Augusta, Ga., where he was a first-team USA Today All-America and rated the best defensive back in the country and the ninth ranked defender overall by The Sporting News after posting 99 tackles, six interceptions, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries as a senior in 1996, playing both cornerback and free safety … Caught 28 passes for 622 yards with eight touchdowns in his final year … Joined teammates by supporting Thanksgiving outreach events … Supports teammates community efforts … Served as a celebrity shopper in first annual Shop With the Jaguars holiday event benefiting local community agencies … Full name: Deon D’Marquis Grant.