Grant Frerking: Biography, Career, Tennessee Football, Business & Legal Controversy Explained
Grant Frerking was a national sensation: the insane comparative rarity of a college sports walk-on especially on the University of Tennesse e football team and running a million-dollar landscaping company() at the same time. Frerking was lauded as an early entrepreneur in the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) space of college athletics. But then came a series of reports about business disagreements, unpaid debts and a complex mess of legal claims that changed his public profile completely.
Factual Journalistic Synopsis about Grant Frerking — Who he is, his resume with Tennessee football, where he worked and what scandals exist around it.
Who Is Grant Frerking?
Grant Frerking is a former college athlete and the CEO of a multimedia company, along with sports media experience. The Montgomery County, Texas native was a walk-on wide receiver for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2017 to 2022. Frerking was the founder of Metro Straw, a ground cover and landscaping company he launched as a teenager.
Following his playing career, Frerking transitioned into the sports media industry. He was hired by On3, a prominent college sports network, where he served as the president of On3’s NIL University and the director of athlete network development. During this same period, he also worked as a part-time consultant for the University of Tennessee football program.
Grant Frerking’s Early Life and Education
Frerking developed an interest in business well before his college years. While in high school in the Atlanta area, he founded Metro Straw, a company specializing in the installation of pine straw and mulch. The business eventually expanded to include branches in Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte.
He began classes at the University of Tennessee in 2017. Frerking was an active CEO of his landscaping company while also working as a student and on the football team, so much so that he earned considerable news coverage during those years for being able to keep everything straight.
Grant Frerking and Tennessee Football
Nick is a Tennessee Volunteers Football team walk-on (2017–2022). He was never a receiver; he played special teams at UC Davis and then in 13 games over six seasons with three receptions for 12 yards.
Frerking’s actual statistical contributions on the field were few and far between, but his presence in the program was unquestionable. Instead of his impressive football stats, he became well known in the college football world as a student-athlete running a thriving business. Frerking, who deliberately used his place as a Tennessee football player to promote his company when the NCAA changed its rules in 2021 to allow athletes to cash in on their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).
Grant Frerking’s Business Career
Frerking’s business career was initially defined by the success of Metro Straw, which was described in his official Tennessee football biography as one of the largest ground cover solutions companies in the Southeast.
Frerking was still an active player for Tennessee when he joined On3 in August 2021. He worked at On3 concentrating on the burgeoning NIL market, hosting summits, pairing athletes with big brands, and representing the company publicly.
Beyond his corporate positions, Frerking was enmeshed in the Knoxville NIL ecosystem. He was on the board of Volunteer Legacy, an early NIL entity associated with Tennessee athletics, and was considered a university booster.
Grant Frerking Legal Controversy Explained
In mid-2025, a series of investigative reports—led initially by the Knoxville News Sentinel—revealed significant legal and financial controversies surrounding Frerking. The controversy involved three main issues: allegations of consumer fraud, documented eviction proceedings, and a high-profile professional conflict of interest.
The Metro Straw Allegations
According to public reports and police records, some customers accused Frerking of collecting payments while believing they were dealing with Metro Straw. Reports stated that Frerking had cut ties with the company years earlier, yet some individuals claimed he continued requesting upfront payments through mobile cash apps for landscaping services he allegedly never completed.
The Milton Police Department in Georgia launched an investigation into Frerking for “theft by deception” after multiple residents filed formal police reports detailing the alleged scheme. Metro Straw issued a statement disavowing any current relationship with Frerking.
Evictions and Financial Debts
In early 2025, a Davidson County, Tennesee judge ordered Frerking out of two Nashville apartments because she owed nearly $16,400 in back rent, according to court documents. Media also logged accusations he defrauded former Tennessee teammates to whom he’d taken out loans.
On3 and University of Tennessee Conflict of Interest
The controversy extended into Frerking’s professional life when documents revealed he had been working as a paid consultant for Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel while simultaneously employed full-time by On3. Frerking was paid $30,000 to advise the football program on NIL best practices and external communications.
On3 founder and CEO Shannon Terry fired Frerking in May 2025. In a public statement, Terry said that On3 had no knowledge of Frerking’s employment with Tennessee and that Frerking had been explicitly instructed not to engage in business with the university or its collective. Terry stated that Frerking repeatedly denied any involvement with the school when questioned, calling the representations “false”.
Soon after the public disclosures, a University of Tennessee spokesperson confirmed that the university would not renew Frerking’s consulting contract after it expired in June 2025.
What Is Known About Grant Frerking Today?
Based on the latest available public information, Grant Frerking no longer works for On3, and the University of Tennessee has ended its consulting relationship with him. He remains the subject of a police investigation in Georgia regarding the alleged Metro Straw payment schemes. Frerking has largely stepped away from the public eye, and he has not issued a widespread public response to the allegations of theft by deception or the termination of his corporate and university contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grant Frerking
Who is Grant Frerking?
Grant Frerking is an ex-collegiate, entrepreneur and sports media professional. He came to prominence as a walk-on wide receiver at the University of Tennessee and as founder of Metro Straw, a landscaping company.
What did Grant Frerking do at Tennessee?
Frerking, who was a walk-on receiver for the Volunteers from 2017-22 He then was a paid, part-time consultant for the football program providing off-field advice to head coach Josh Heupel and NIL best practices after that.
What is Grant Frerking known for?
His rise to notoriety was initially a result of running a million-dollar enterprise while playing Division I college football. After that, he gained recognition as a player advocate in the NIL space through On3. Later, a series of financial controversies and professional setbacks brought new attention to his career.
What is Grant Frerking’s business background?
Frerking founded Metro Straw in high school. He later served as the president of On3’s NIL University and the director of athlete network development, working to connect athletes with brands.
What was the Grant Frerking controversy?
In 2025, multiple reports stated that police were investigating Frerking over allegations that he accepted payment for landscaping work but never completed it. Court documents also indicated that landlords evicted him from two Nashville apartments after he failed to pay rent. In addition, On3 reportedly fired him after discovering that he had worked as a paid consultant for the University of Tennessee without disclosing the arrangement, which violated company policy.
Where can readers find reliable information about Grant Frerking?
Recent updates from Davidson County court records, the Milton Police Department, major sports news organizations, and local publications such as the Knoxville News Sentinel help keep the article accurate and up to date.
Conclusion
Grant Frerking As if that was not enough, Grant Frerking presents a confused public profile flying from an inspiring entrepreneur story to a person of interest in extraordinary legal and professional scrutiny. Frerking, who was once heralded for balancing his tough Division I football career at the University of Tennessee with leading his own brand development company, caught a spotlight as an early player in the emerging NIL space. But court records have since changed his public narrative. They document thousands of dollars in unpaid rent, his widely publicized removal from On3 over a conflict of interest with the Tennessee football program, and ongoing police investigations into alleged consumer fraud.
