SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Former Syracuse Orange football safety Devin Grant has signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent, the team announced Saturday night.
Grant opted for the Chargers after also drawing interest from the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks following the NFL Draft, according to his agent.
The 49ers also extended a rookie minicamp invitation to former Syracuse safety Duce Chestnut, per NBC Sports Philadelphia.
In Los Angeles, Grant will reunite with familiar faces. The Chargers previously drafted former Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsden II and also signed linebacker Marlowe Wax Jr. as an undrafted free agent.
Grant told Syracuse.com that he had communication with several teams during Syracuse’s Pro Day, including the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and Indianapolis Colts. In the weeks after, additional interest came from the 49ers, Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, and Kansas City Chiefs.
At full health, Grant showcased impressive athletic testing numbers, including a 36.5-inch vertical, a 10.5-foot broad jump, and a three-cone drill time that would have ranked among the top 10 at the NFL Combine.
He entered the 2025 season as Syracuse’s starting strong safety before lower-body injuries cut his year short. Upon returning, he demonstrated versatility in the Orange’s nickel defense, rotating between strong safety, box safety, and nickel corner. Former defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson also utilized him as a blitzer from multiple alignments, boosting the team’s pass rush.
Grant now joins a defensive system under coordinator Chris O’Leary, which is expected to resemble the scheme used by former Syracuse DC and current Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter.
With the Chargers known for deploying All-Pro safety Derwin James in a variety of roles, Grant will have the opportunity to develop and learn within a similarly flexible system.
Before his time at Syracuse, Grant spent two seasons at University at Buffalo.
As for Chestnut, he appeared in all 12 games last season but was limited by a groin injury late in the year, primarily playing free safety. He earned third-team All-ACC honors as a freshman, spent another year at Syracuse, then transferred to Louisiana State University in 2023 before returning to Syracuse in 2024 to finish his career.
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