| Antonio Grier | |
| Current Team: | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Number: | 48 |
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Birth Date: | 18 January 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lb: | 230 |
| High School: | Benjamin Elijah Mays (Atlanta, Georgia) |
| College: | South Florida (2018–2022) Arkansas (2023) |
| Undraftedyear: | 2024 |
| Pastteams: |
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| Status: | Practice squad |
| Highlights: |
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| Pfr: | GrieAn00 |
Antonio Grier Jr. (born January 18, 2000) is an American professional football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Florida Bulls and Arkansas Razorbacks and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Buccaneers in 2024.
Grier was born on January 18, 2000, in Atlanta, Georgia.[1] He attended Benjamin Elijah Mays High School in Atlanta, playing three seasons of football team while recording 214 tackles, 19.0 tackles-for-loss (TFLs), six sacks, eight forced fumbles and three interceptions.[2] He was honorable mention All-Class 6A as a junior and was named the regional defensive player of the year as a senior.[2] He signed to play college football for the South Florida Bulls in 2018.[3]
As a freshman at South Florida in 2018, Grier appeared in 12 games, posting eight tackles and a fumble recovery.[4] In 2019, he appeared in all 12 games, six as a starter, and made 58 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks.[4] The following year, he earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) honors after posting 59 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in eight games.[5] In 2021, he started 12 games and posted a team-leading 92 tackles with eight TFLs, three sacks and two interceptions, repeating as a second-team All-AAC selection.[6] Grier played in the first three games of the 2022 season, recording 21 tackles, before suffering a season-ending hand injury and choosing to redshirt.[7]
Grier opted to transfer following the 2022 season, signing to play with the Arkansas Razorbacks for his final year of college football.[8] [9] On his first play with Arkansas, he intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown.[10] [11] Playing as the third linebacker for Arkansas, he finished seventh on the team with 36 tackles in his lone year as a Razorback.[12] [13] He declared for the 2024 NFL draft.[14]
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Grier signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.[13] He was waived on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad the following day.[15] [16] He was signed to the active roster off the practice squad on October 1.[17] He was waived on November 22, and re-signed to the practice squad.[18]