Abilene Wylie coach remembers former player Grant, who was killed in weekend car crash

Clay Martin knew Cason Grant well. Not only did Grant play football for Martin at Wylie, but he was good friends with Martin’s son, Gatlin.

So, it was devastating news when Martin heard that the 23-year-old Grant was killed in a one-car, rollover crash on Saturday in Wyoming.

The crash occurred in Converse County, near Douglas, Wyoming, where Grant was working as a cowboy on a cattle ranch.

“I think the one thing that stands out to me is that Cason lived life to the fullest,” Martin said. “He followed his dreams, and he was a guy that was an exceptional athlete and a great competitor, a great leader. He was very secure in his faith and who he was. He followed his dreams all the way to becoming a cowboy on a ranch in Wyoming.”

Grant, a 2018 Wylie grad, was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs playing alongside Martin's son Gatlin, who also graduated from Wylie in 2018. Martin said both families are close.

Grant did a little bit of everything, too, from playing running back and receiver to playing safety on defense for the Bulldogs. He also returned kicks and punts.

Grant was a first-team All-Big Country 4A-6A selection as a utility player his senior year – running for 641 yards and seven TDs while catching passes for 274 yards and three more TDs.

“Cason was really a great athlete and exceled at all sports he participated in from the time he was a young kid,” Martin said. “He started for us three years at Wylie on the football field. He was an integral part of all those teams. Just a great kid, someone who was a great example to younger kids. Someone who could be emulated for sure.”

Grant played on Wylie teams that reached the Class 4A Division I state semifinals in 2015 and the state title game in 2016.

After graduating from Wylie, he went to Mississippi State, where was a walkover receiver. He later transferred to Oklahoma, where his second ACL injury ended his football career.

After graduating from OU, he pursued his dream of cattle ranching in Wyoming.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at the Beltway Park Church South Campus with visitation to follow. A private burial service will be Thursday afternoon at Newman Cemetery in Sylvester.