Antonio Grier, UCF transfer portal commit and former all-AAC 2nd team LB, instead signs with SEC West program

Antonio Grier, a former All-AAC 2nd-team linebacker at USF who originally committed to UCF, gave Arkansas fans a pleasant surprise on Thursday evening as he instead signed with the Razorbacks.

Grier, an Atlanta native, was a 2-star recruit in the class of 2018 but developed into one of the top linebackers in the American Athletic Conference. While he played in just 5 games in 2022 due to injury and made 21 tackles, he accumulated 92 stops, 8.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, and 2 interceptions for the Bulls in 2021 en route to 2nd-team all-conference honors. He combined for 113 tackles, 14.0 TFLs, and 7.0 sacks in 20 games in 2019 and 2020, receiving 2nd-team all-conference nods following the 2020 season.

After the 2022 campaign ended, Grier announced that he would enter the transfer portal, committing to play at UCF on Dec. 12. But with Knights DC Travis Williams hired to the same position in Fayetteville days after Grier’s pledge, the 2 are reunited at Arkansas.

A late addition?!?!?! ✅

A hard-hitting linebacker?!?!?! ✅

Welcome to the squad @Burnowt5! pic.twitter.com/2jIfruhfFa

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 23, 2022

The Razorbacks ended the regular season at 6-6, including a 3-5 mark in SEC play. They will face Kansas in the Liberty Bowl on Wednesday.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.