Quarterback, Georgia State (from Furman), 2018–⁠23

Darren Grainger

Number
No. 3
Height
6′4″
Weight
225 lb
Class (2023)
Senior
Hometown
Conway, SC

Darren Grainger played quarterback at Furman (2018–⁠21) and Georgia State (2021–⁠23).

At a glance

Best season
2,625
Passing yards, 2023 (Georgia State, 7–⁠6)
Best game
466 yards
At Charlotte, week 3, 2023: No. 2 passing game in FBS that week

Career highs

466passing yards, career highat Charlotte, 20234touchdown passes, career highthree times; last vs. Charlotte, 2022143rushing yards, career highat Southern Miss, 20222rushing touchdowns, career highfour times; last vs. Utah State, 2023

Team titles: Southern champions, 2018

Passing

Passing yards, season by season, with his team’s record
SeasonTeamCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDInt
2018Furman3560.0306.010
2019Furman244060.03749.341
2021Georgia State13622859.61,7157.5194
2022Georgia State17329658.42,4318.2187
2023Georgia State24435868.22,6257.3207
Career58092762.67,1757.76219

Rushing

SeasonTeamCarYdsAvgTDLong
2018Furman11131.2011
2019Furman24723.0233
2021Georgia State1346464.8348
2022Georgia State1657524.6760
2023Georgia State1597364.61065
Career4932,2194.52265

Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.

On the roster

SeasonTeamNo.PosClassHtWt
2018Furman3QBYr 1
2019Furman3QBYr 2
2021Furman3QBYr 4
2021Georgia State3QBYr 4
2022Georgia State3QBYr 5
2023Georgia State3QBSr. (Yr 6)6′4″225

As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.

Per play

SeasonTeamPlaysEPA/playPctileMedianTotalUsageAdj. passAdj. rush
2018Furman (FCS)16-0.23––-3.6–––
2019Furman (FCS)640.51––32.751%––
2021Georgia State3440.3452nd (n=145)0.33115.941%0.440.23
2022Georgia State4530.3461st (n=250)0.32152.752%0.370.20
2023Georgia State5010.3250th (n=255)0.32158.358%0.400.25

Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). Adjusted pass and rush: EPA per play adjusted for the defenses faced (CollegeFootballData’s WEPA). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.

Game by game

2023 Georgia State 13 games, 2,625 passing yards, 20 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Aug 31vs.Rhode IslandW 42–⁠3516201932051
Sep 9vs.UConnW 35–⁠14152614410142
Sep 16atCharlotteW 41–⁠2527334663023
Sep 21atCoastal CarolinaW 30–⁠1715261911047
Sep 30vs.TroyL 7–⁠2819291930225
Oct 14vs.MarshallW 41–⁠2421312341062
Oct 21atLouisianaW 20–⁠1717222112018
Oct 26atGeorgia SouthernL 27–⁠4421371572280
Nov 4vs.James MadisonL 14–⁠4210198200103
Nov 11vs.App StateL 14–⁠4215281152118
Nov 18atLSUL 14–⁠5623291791032
Nov 25atOld DominionL 24–⁠2526362032224
Dec 23 ✦vs.Utah StateW 45–⁠22192225730111
2022 Georgia State 12 games, 2,431 passing yards, 18 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 3atSouth CarolinaL 14–⁠357291111143
Sep 10vs.North CarolinaL 28–⁠3516241863075
Sep 17vs.CharlotteL 41–⁠4222343434154
Sep 22vs.Coastal CarolinaL 24–⁠4114252311213
Oct 1atArmyW 31–⁠148121571048
Oct 8vs.Georgia SouthernW 41–⁠3316251862170
Oct 19atApp StateL 17–⁠429237301100
Oct 29vs.Old DominionW 31–⁠17142019510109
Nov 5atSouthern MissW 42–⁠14152313320143
Nov 12vs.UL MonroeL 28–⁠3125403491150
Nov 19atJames MadisonL 40–⁠428151761031
Nov 26atMarshallL 23–⁠2819262911016
2021 Georgia State 13 games, 1,715 passing yards, 19 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 4vs.ArmyL 10–⁠43–––––2
Sep 11atNorth CarolinaL 17–⁠5924220056
Sep 18vs.CharlotteW 20–⁠96121392150
Sep 25atAuburnL 24–⁠3412241172161
Oct 2vs.App StateL 16–⁠45467511−1
Oct 9atUL MonroeW 55–⁠2118252304084
Oct 23vs.Texas StateW 28–⁠1616252002091
Oct 30atGeorgia SouthernW 21–⁠1416271410031
Nov 4atLouisianaL 17–⁠21819981028
Nov 13atCoastal CarolinaW 42–⁠4018241982029
Nov 20vs.Arkansas StateW 28–⁠2010211520146
Nov 27vs.TroyW 37–⁠1011221402047
Dec 25 ✦vs.Ball StateW 51–⁠20151920330122
2019 Furman 2 games, 374 passing yards, 4 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 7atGeorgia StateL 42–⁠4816253114053
Sep 14atVirginia TechL 17–⁠24815630119

No box score in the source for Aug 31 vs. Charleston Southern; Sep 21 vs. Mercer; Sep 28 vs. East Tennessee State; Oct 5 at Samford; Oct 19 vs. The Citadel; Oct 26 at Western Carolina; Nov 2 at Chattanooga; Nov 9 vs. VMI; Nov 16 at Wofford; Nov 23 vs. Point University; Nov 30 at Austin Peay, so those games are not listed.

2018 Furman 1 game, 30 passing yards, 1 TD
DateOpponentResultCmpAttYdsTDIntRush
Sep 1atClemsonL 7–⁠4835301013

No box score in the source for Sep 8 at Elon; Sep 22 at East Tennessee State; Sep 29 vs. Western Carolina; Oct 13 vs. Wofford; Oct 20 vs. Samford; Oct 27 at The Citadel; Nov 3 vs. Chattanooga; Nov 10 at VMI; Nov 17 at Mercer, so those games are not listed.

Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.

Before the draft

DrillPro day 2024
Height6′3⅛″
Weight209 lb
Arm length33⅜″
Hand size10″
40-yard dash4.84 s
10-yard split1.66 s
Vertical jump30″
Broad jump9′3″
3-cone drill7.62 s
20-yard shuttle4.47 s

Pre-draft measurables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).

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