University of Houston linebacker Grant Stuard is off to the NFL after four seasons as a Cougar. The two-time All-AAC selection announced on social media on Thursday that he is opting out of the team’s New Mexico Bowl game against Hawaii to start preparing for the NFL draft.
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Stuard started the post by thanking God and acknowledging the impact his relationship with Christ has had on his life.
“I would like to thank Jesus Christ, the Lord of my life, for completely changing me and making me into the person I am today,” he wrote. “I want to encourage anyone who does not have a relationship with Jesus to seek Him. You will not be disappointed.”
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Stuard collected 191 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 33 games at Houston. He was the Cougars’ leading tackler each of the past two seasons, earning second team all-conference honors in 2019 and being named a member of the All-AAC first team in 2020. His 97 tackles last year were good for third in the conference.
Off the field, Stuard displays a heart for his community. He recently organized a food drive for the Houston Food Bank that brought in 800 pounds of food, and over the summer he organized a school supply drive in his hometown of Conroe, Texas.
800 POUNDS OF FOOD!! THANK YOU HOUSTON đź–¤ all donations to @HoustonFoodBank pic.twitter.com/cYUKtek9vT
— Grant Stuard (@GrantStuard_3) December 15, 2020
And he actively shares about his faith on social media. He is often quick to redirect the recognition he’s received to Christ, and regularly shares Scripture that is impacting him. In one Instagram post last month, he also did a little preaching of the Gospel.
“Without Christ, we are nothing,” he began. “This is not just something I am saying to say, but because I really want y’all to feel me. Without Christ, we are pointless. You, reading this, are hopeless without Christ. We are all sinners, never to ever be perfect on this Earth. God is the judge of us all. We must turn from our sins daily, and put our FAITH in Christ. That means we must make him LORD of our life, not simply say ‘I believe.’ ‘I am a Christian.’ That’s not it. We cannot LIVE in sin and call ourselves children of the Most High and think we are good. That does not save us.”
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Stuard will have a chance to impress scouts at the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 30 before hoping to hear his name called during the NFL draft, which will take place from April 29 to May 1.
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