As the Raiders' 2025 draft picks go through their first NFL training camp, Raiders.com's Levi Edwards is sitting down with each player for a Q&A.
Next we take time to talk with third-round pick Charles Grant
Levi Edwards: Before playing football, you had a background in amateur wrestling. How did wrestling eventually help transfer over to the gridiron?
Charles Grant: "I started wrestling in seventh grade and went all the way up to my senior year of high school. That was my main sport for a while until I started playing football my junior year of high school. It translated a lot, there's a lot of things you really can't teach about body position. Everybody says I have good feet, I think that's comes from wrestling as well as my athleticism. That's a huge part of my game, just being athletic on the field."
LE: How did the recruiting process go while making your decision to play at William & Mary?
CG: "I was getting interest from bigger schools, but no one was really trying to take their shot on me. I was hearing I was too green, too new to the game. But when William & Mary came around, I went to their camp. I knew it was a great education and this was way before the NFL was even on my mind. My main goal was honestly to get a great education."
LE: When did you realize you could actually be an NFL caliber player?
CG: "Around my sophomore year on the field, my junior year in the classroom, that was my first season starting all the games. Definitely that first game, I did not do too good, but each game I saw myself getting a little better. So I just carried that drive to get better into the next year. I was a sophomore All-American, my first time getting [an award] like that. I had people hitting me up that saw my tape and they were like, 'Hey, you can really be good.' And from that moment, I pressed on the gas. This is what I want to do, I'm going to get to this point."
LE: In college you went through a procedure to donate bone marrow. What went into that decision?
CG: "Coach London, head coach of William & Mary, he preached since getting there that he was a match for his daughter and helped save her life with donating stem cells. So every year, we did a drive where we get other people to sign up around campus. Of course I signed my name up, did the swab and put my name on the registry. When the time came, my name was called and there was no thought about not doing it. I wanted to do it and help somebody out."
LE: What does it mean to represent the FCS prospects drafted and does that put a chip on your shoulder going through training camp?
CG: "It's amazing to be able to represent that. I know a lot of guys at FCS and HBCU [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] schools are looked down on because of the quote unquote 'level of competition.' But at the end of the day, if a guy can play football, a guy can play football – no matter what."
Take a look at photos of Raider Nation at Allegiant Stadium for a 2025 Training Camp mock game.
Fans arrive at a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans arrive at a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans arrive at a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans arrive at a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans arrive at a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll signs autographs for fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll signs autographs for fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
The Las Vegas Raiders walk down the tunnel and interact with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans take pictures as the Las Vegas Raiders returners huddle in the tunnel before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) walks down the tunnel and interacts with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Chris Collier (35), running back Zamir White (3) and wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) walk down the tunnel and interact with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) walks down the tunnel and interacts with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders center Jarrod Hufford (64) and guard Caleb Rogers (76) walk down the tunnel and interact with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) walks down the tunnel and interacts with fans before a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Fans during a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) interacts with fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) interacts with fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
A fan after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (9) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) takes a selfie with a fan after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Adam Butler (69) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Collin Johnson (17) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Cody Lindenberg (55) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Darnay Holmes (30) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) takes a selfie with a fan after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) takes a selfie with fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) signs autographs for fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) interacts with fans after a 2025 Training Camp mock game at Allegiant Stadium.
