April 
            29, 2004  
            Northern 
              Illinois Strong Safety Akil Grant Signs Free Agent Pact With NFL's 
              Tennessee Titans
             DeKALB, IL 
              --- Obviously, former Northern Illinois University strong safety 
              Akil Grant signed a standard free agent contract with the National 
              Football League Tennessee Titans this week on his own merit.
             You still have 
              to wonder if Grant got a little indirect help from his friends, 
              i.e., ex-Huskie teammates such as Titan wide receivers Darrell Hill 
              and Justin McCareins---the latter who was traded to the New York 
              Jets in March.
             “It could 
              not have hurt,” said Northern Illinois head football coach 
              Joe Novak. “Just like Akil, both Darrell and Justin have strong 
              work ethic and made themselves into NFL-caliber players. I’m 
              sure the Tennessee coaching staff and scouting department saw that 
              same work ethic in all three.
             “I really 
              think Akil can make their football team,” Novak added. “If 
              he’s healthy and his knee (left) is okay, he’s got a good 
              shot. Akil can be a great special teams player, too. He had an extremely 
              productive career for us.”
             The six-foot, 
              192-pound Grant heads to the Titans’ mini-camp this weekend 
              at Baptist Sports Park in Nashville where Tennessee head coach Jeff 
              Fisher and his staff will evaluate 40 candidates---13 draftees and 
              27 undrafted free agents. According to William Bryant, the Titans’ 
              assistant director of media relations, Grant is listed as a strong 
              safety on the Tennessee camp roster. The franchise also signed two 
              other free agent strong safeties---Brandon Lynch of Middle Tennessee 
              State and Justin Sandy of Northern Iowa---earlier this week.
             A four-year 
              Northern Illinois letterman, Grant capped his college career by 
              appearing in The Villages Gridiron Classic national all-star game 
              in January. He finished No. 10 on the all-time Huskie Hit List with 
              361 career tackles---the most ever by a Northern Illinois defensive 
              back. Overall, Grant produced 15 double-digit tackle games, 31 starts, 
              and 2,784 snaps in 42 appearances for Novak.
             Despite missing 
              four games last fall due to the left knee sprain, Grant wound up 
              No. 3 in Northern Illinois season tackles (93) and No. 5 in team 
              pass deflections (four). His best 2003 games came against nationally 
              ranked opposition. Against No. 21-rated Alabama, Grant tied a career-high 
              18 stops and two pass deflections. He contributed 15 hits, one tackle 
              for loss, and one fumble-cause hit vs. No. 23 Bowling Green State. 
              Grant produced nine tackles vs. No. 13 Maryland and also served 
              as one of the team quint-captains on the 10-2 Huskie squad that 
              crashed the nation’s Top 30.
             As a junior 
              and a sophomore, Grant collected 138 and 114 tackles, respectively. 
              His 2002 hit total (138) represented the best by a Northern Illinois 
              player since outside linebacker Steve Wild (140 stops in 1993) and 
              ranked No. 18 nationally. Grant also rated No. 9 in NCAA Division 
              1-A solo tackles (92) in 2002. In 2001, he was named Second-Team 
              All-Mid-American Conference by the league’s coaches. 
             In his prep 
              days, Grant lettered twice in football at Kankakee High School for 
              head coach Dan Wetzel. As a senior, he was a First-Team All-SICA 
              Orange Conference and All-Area pick on a 10-2 and Class 5A state 
              playoff team in 1999.
            (For further 
              information, please contact Mike Korcek) -NIU-