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Prior to Grigsby, the last Redbird
drafted by the NFL was wide receiver Bill Miller, who was selected
in the 10th round by the Detroit Lions in the 1990 draft. Grigsby
becomes the 10th Redbird to be drafted by the NFL since the first
combined AFL-NFL draft in 1967.
"I'm unbelievably enthusiastic that
it's over," Grigsby said. "I can honestly say that geographically,
and with the needs that Kansas City has, this couldn't have worked
out any better for me. If I wasn't drafted and had to go through
free agency, Kansas City would have been one of my top choices. So
I'm very happy right now with how it all worked out."
Not only is Kansas City
geographically fairly close to Illinois State and his hometown of
Canton, but Grigsby also has an aunt and uncle living in Kansas
City.
The only three-time Gateway Football
Conference Defensive Player of the Year was the eighth inside
linebacker selected in the 2005 draft, the eighth player from
Division I-AA and the second player selected from the Gateway
Conference. As the 138th pick overall, Grigsby became the highest
drafted Redbird since Clarence Collins was the 62nd pick in the 1984
draft of the San Diego Chargers.
[to top of second column in this article]
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 As the most decorated player in
Illinois State football history, Grigsby achieved the NCAA, Gateway
and Illinois State career tackle records during his Redbird career
with 580 career stops. He also garnered consensus all-America honors
his last two collegiate seasons, including becoming just the fourth
player to garner three first-team all-America honors from The Sports
Network.
Grigsby also became the first player
in I-AA history to ever finish in the top three in the Buck Buchanan
Award voting three straight seasons. The honor is awarded to the
division's best defensive football player.
Grigsby reports to the Chiefs'
mini-camp on April 28 and is obviously looking forward to it.
"I'm just going to go down there and
be the best special teams player they have," he said.
[Illinois
State University news release]
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