IU Corner Rashard Fant Returns To Perfect His Craft in 2017

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Redshirt senior cornerback Rashard Fant could have declared for the NFL Draft after a stellar 2016 season which saw the Georgia native lead the Big Ten in passes defended (three interceptions and 17 passes broken up). Fant went through the draft evaluation process and said "you look and get a grade and your like ‘wow, that’s a good amount of money, more than I have right now’".

However, money isn't at the top of Rashard Fant's list right now. Instead, he wants "to be best prepared when I get to the next level and coming back was good for me because there are some thing I wanted to work on still. Also, I can get a second degree from IU. That is something nobody can take away from me, so I’ll leave with two degrees and I’ll have the opportunity to accomplish a dream that I’ve had since I was five-years old". 

Fant took a long look at himself and found more flaws than one would think for a defensive back who had an All-Conference year as an upperclassmen.

So what exactly did Fant find when he went back to look at tape?

"I felt like one was my technique" Fant said. "A lot of people say my technique is really good, but when I look my technique I see a guy that has good technique sometimes, but then a lot of times just relies on his speed and that’s a dangerous game."

Fant doesn't only rely on his athleticism on the field either. "I pride myself on being very knowledgeable on football, especially of our defense, and I feel like this year I have grown even more" Fant told reporters at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. "I have been working with the linebackers and I can basically get up there and call the d-line calls and everything. I just wanted to grow my intelligence, but also my technique and become more of an all-around player and make sure I am ready and best prepared for the next level whenever that comes."

Fant has a chance to improve his game every day as he has had the chance to go against some of the Big Ten's best wide receivers on the practice field in Bloomington.

"I attribute that to why I have been able to do what I have done in the Big Ten" Fant said. "You come in going against Cody Latimer, Kofi Hughes, Shane Wynn, Duwyce Wilson, (Nick) Stoner, I mean I can name them and then this year you have Simmie, Nick. There’s just so many people and each year I don’t get a break in practice. Ricky Jones, Mitchell Paige, there are so many I can name, but they all made me great".

Rashard Fant was brought in to bring the Indiana defense to another level and after taking a huge leap forward in 2016, the IU defense can become great. That is just another reason Fant came back to the Hoosiers. Fant said that "those opportunities kept me back and then one more go-a-round with Tegray (Scales) and Rich (Lagow) and all them knowing that we want to leave a legacy and leave IU in better shape than we found it in."

Fant and the Hoosiers open fall camp on August 2nd and kickoff the 2017 regular season on August 31st against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium.