One of the 49ers battling for a roster spot is linebacker Larry Grant.  In looking at the 53-man roster and the practice squad, there are ways he could fit into the roster and there are potential squeezes that could lead to the practice squad.  After today, I have to admit that I'm officially rooting strongly for Larry Grant to make the 53-man roster.  Thanks to Nate Haber of PlayersRep Sports Management I was fortunate enough to get some time to interview Larry over the phone.  Haber represents Grant and had this to say about the young linebacker from THE Ohio State University:

"Larry has overcome a great deal of adversity in his life.  The journey that he’s taken, from his early teenage years until now, has been a remarkable one.  The 49ers fans are going to be very pleased with LG, both on and off the field."

Earlier this month Larry did an interview with sf49ers.com in which he discussed moving all around the country and keeping his family close by, even when he transferred out to Ohio State.  I spent our interview discussing more of his time since the draft and his transition to the pro game.  If I had to use one word to describe Larry, it's happy.  He seems to love life and really enjoys living it to the fullest.  From my short time chatting with him, he's definitely a guy for whom you want to root.  More importantly, he's a Bay Area guy.  Larry was born in Santa Rosa and spent his first two years of college at City College of San Francisco.  I actually interviewed him shortly after he had finished working out with his old CCSF team.

One quick note: Aside from email interviews with Matt Barrows, this was my first interview for Niners Nation (and really for anything).  Needless to say I was a little nervous and it may come through in the Q&A.  I missed out on a few questions I'd been planning on asking but I'm hoping to follow up with Larry after we get through training camp.

Niners Nation: Obviously the best part is that you're a life long 49ers fan from what I've read
Larry Grant: Of course, you gotta be.  Everybody should be!

NN: As a Bay Area guy, how excited were you to be drafted by the 49ers?
LG: It was a great feeling.  it was actually a feeling I've been waiting to feel all my life.  Just growing up a 49ers fan and actually diehard.  Not only me, but my whole family, it was a true blessing.  The feeling was great.

NN: Being a fan, is it difficult switching from following the team to being a teammate of guys you've been watching on tv the last few years?
LG: It's not really too difficult.  I went to Ohio State and there were guys there I watched on tv and had seen them play.  Before I even got to junior college there were guys when I came to games I'd watched them play.  Once I got there, you gain this different kind of comraderie and family with all these players that you watched and you see the real side of them.  They're bringing me in right and everybody's cool with everybody.  And it seems like I'm getting along with everybody and they're basically helping me and taking my hand and bringing me right along.

NN: What was draft weekend like for you?
LG: The first day I watched it b/c one of my fellow teammates at OSU, Vernon Gholston was a first round pick.  I watched the first couple picks to see where he'd go because I was pretty excited for him.  I wanted him to go a little higher than what he did but it was in God's plan for him to go to the Jets.  We just sat around basically after he got picked; we just turned the Wii video game on the big screen at my grandma's house.  Everybody was playing: running track and playing golf and having little tournaments.  Basically having a whole bunch of family time and just conversing with everybody and the old folks kickin it with the old folks and the youngins, the kids with the kids and everybody in the middle with everybody in the middle.  We were basically relaxing and having a lot of good times with my family.

NN: I understand that you're a new father?
LG: Yes sir, I"m a new father...4 months on the 17th.

NN: I wanted to switch gears to some more defensive-oriented questions.  Your senior year you started as more of an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense last year.  How has the transition been to the inside linebacker in the 3-4?
LG: The transition's been ok.  I actually had plenty of opportunities and chances to play in the inside at Ohio State.  I came in actually as an OLB and they switched it up and moved me inside b/c you know playing on Ohio State's defense when I was there, and I'm sure they're still doing the same thing, they teach every linebacker each position so everybody gets a chance to play all three positions so they'll be able to know and understand the defense fully.  So playing inside at Ohio State and junior college, the transition hasn't been as bad as I thought it was gonna be.  I'm pretty comfortable playing inside.  It's the playbook that's taking a little longer for me to get down.  But, you know, with the extra study time that I'm putting in I should be able to be fine with it pretty soon.

NN: There have been stories about the intensity of Mike Singletary's workouts with the linebackers.  How has it been for you so far both in your learning experience, and getting to work with such a legendary linebacker?
LG: Mike Singletary is a great coach and he was a great player also.  Just playing with him and learning stuff from him has been a great thing for me.  I wouldn't want to learn from anybody else.  Why not if you've got a chance to learn from one of the greatest, I take it one day at a time and soak in as much as I can from him because you know you can't really go wrong with Mike teaching you.

NN: I can imagine he's forgotten more football than most of us even know.
LG:  He hasn't forgotten too much.  I'm pretty sure Coach Sing could come in and step in like he's never lost nothing, like he was just playing last week.  Coach Sing is doing a great job with the linebackers he's got now, especially helping the young guys learn and making sure the vets are on their A-game also.  He shows us how to be intense.  We're all happy to be coached by Coach Sing.

NN: When you were selected, a lot of the analysis focused on your potential to contribute on special teams.  Considering your blocked punts and kicks in college, do you take a little extra pride in what you bring to the table on special teams?
LG: Yea, I always take pride in special teams.  Special teams is one of the most crucial parts to the game.  Parts are the most crucial because there are a lot of things that can happen in special teams.  Especially being in the 49ers organization, they focus so hard on special teams because without special teams you can't win championships.  And you know that's what our goal is as a family over there, to get to Tampa.  Take it one day at a time, one game at a time.  So right now special teams is a big part of my game.

NN: Has the rookie hazing started yet, or do you get to look forward to that later on in training camp?
LG: I guess I get to wait till training camp because I haven't got anything yet.  I don't have any problem with it.  They can do whatever they want.  It's all fun and games to me because the more they do to me, you know I just feel sorry for next year's rookie class.

NN: With OTAs coming to a close, do you have any plans for between now and training camp?
LG: My plan is to spend as much time as I can with my son and my family and my girlfriend.  Spend as much time as I can with those two.

NN: Any final thoughts for 49ers fans who are just getting to know you?
LG: I'm a happy guy.  I'm a very happy guy.  You know I just appreciate the fans that I do have out there.  I appreciate all the support that you give to this 49ers family and we're all truly blessed to have y'all.  And we need you out here every game this year.  I just want to thank you for everything and god bless.

NN:  Thanks Larry.  I really appreciate you taking the time.  It's definitely something the readers appreciate.
LG: Thank you for taking your time...

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Big thanks to Larry for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions.  Also, thanks to Nate Haber for getting this set up.  He's been very good to the SB Nation family.  Good luck to Larry and let's hope we see him making plays this coming season.