Star defender wants to play for Chargers because of Jim Harbaugh

It's very clear that players want to play for Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

There is very little doubt that Jim Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in football, and the Los Angeles Chargers are benefiting from having him in more ways than one.

It's not just Harbaugh's in-game coaching that makes him so elite; it's also his ability to connect with his players and make them enjoy playing for him.

That makes the Chargers a rather intriguing destination both for free agents and incoming rookies, and in terms of the latter, Harbaugh's former players at Michigan may be lining up to join him in the NFL ranks.

During a recent episode of the Guilty as Charged podcast, Alex Katson of USA Today mentioned how Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant—who is expected to be a first-round draft pick—is angling to get selected by Los Angeles this April.

"Kenneth Grant did tell at least one media member at the Shrine Bowl that wasn't me, but I did hear it from the person that he did tell, that he would very much like to play for the Chargers," Katson said.

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Given that Grant won a national championship with Harbaugh in Ann Arbor, this doesn't come as much of a surprise. It also wouldn't be the first Wolverines player that has been linked to the Bolts, as tight end Colston Loveland has regularly been connected to LA in mock drafts.

Grant would fill a need for the Chargers, too, as they could definitely use some help on the interior of their defensive line, particularly if Poona Ford walks via free agency.

The 21-year-old registered 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks this past season. He totaled 29 tackles, five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during Harbaugh's final year at Michigan in 2023.

Los Angeles owns the 22nd overall pick this spring, so we'll see if Grant ends up being a possibility for Harbaugh and Co.

Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) celebrates after Ohio State misses a field goal during the second half at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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