Jakeem Grant: Top Ten Plays at Texas Tech

Sep 5, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders wide receiver Jakeem Grant (11) scores a touchdown against the Sam Houston State Bearkats in the first half at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Jakeem Grant Catch vs. UT (Becomes Texas Tech all-time leading receiver)

This catch from the heart-stopping Thanksgiving 2015 game was one of the most important plays Jakeem Grant made at Texas Tech. His 41-yard fourth quarter catch against Texas helped the Red Raiders defeat the Longhorns in Austin for the first time in 17 years.

While there are other plays Grant made in this game, plays that will be talked about forever, do not dismiss the importance and the brilliance of this play.

With less than six minutes to play in the game, Texas had stormed back to take a 4-point lead against the Red Raiders after trailing by two scores earlier in the game.

From just inside mid-field, Texas Tech sent Grant on a fly route from the slot position.

He was able to get a step on the defender and quarterback Pat Mahomes threw a perfect pass that Grant brought in at the two-yard-line. This play set Texas Tech up to regain the lead, which they did in short order on a run by DeAndre Washington.

But aside from the importance of this catch, appreciate the skill involved. Remember that the game was played in a downpour and Grant had to look back over his shoulder and up into the rain to see the ball. He was also right against the sideline so his body positioning had to be perfect to ensure he got a foot down in bounds.

Furthermore, on the catch Grant became Texas Tech’s all-time leading receiver. The former 2-star recruit who was considered too small to play major college football became the leading receiver in the history of the Big 12 program that also produced Michael Crabtree and Wes Welker and he did so in style.

Grant struggled with drops in 2014 but in 2015 he was as sure-handed of a receiver as there was in the Big 12. This difficult late-game grab put the Red Raider in position to score and was the momentum swing Texas Tech needed at that point of the game.

Next: Catch and Run vs. Ok. State