A former Tennessee football player and employee at the sports media outlet On3 has been accused of scamming customers years after leaving the Georgia company he founded, all while being employed by the UT athletic department.
Grant Frerking played for the Vols from 2017–22 as a walk-on, coming to the school from the Atlanta area. When he was in high school, he founded Metro Straw, a ground cover company that installs straw and mulch. In 2021, he joined On3 to work on the business side of its name, image, and likeness efforts.
This week, Knox News reported Frerking, 26, had scammed customers by pretending he still worked at Metro Straw, taking their money but never rendering services. The outlet also said Frerking had a dozen civil claims filed against him since 2023 (mostly from a single landlord), owed more than $16,000 in unpaid rent to two different landlords in Nashville, and had solicited and borrowed money from former teammates and other UT athletes. On Thursday, Knox News reported Frerking made $30,000 over the past two years as a part-time consultant for the football program, particularly around NIL matters.
Customers told Knox News that as recently as last month, Frerking had still acted as a representative for Metro Straw, accepting deposits as he promised services, stealing from customers’ debit accounts, and having them send payments to his girlfriend’s Venmo account.
“Metro Straw and former owner Grant Frerking have parted ways for 2 years,” reads a statement on the company’s website. “Metro Straw does not associate with Grant Frerking in any way. Metro Straw continues to work in delivering top pine straw and mulch services to the residents of Metro Atlanta and its surrounding areas.”
On3 said it is aware of the allegations against Frerking, who held roles including president of its NIL University, director of the On3 Athlete Network, and leader of its major NIL events. The company said Frerking stopped working there on May 27.
“On3 has a zero tolerance policy for blatant violations of its internal standards and values, and takes allegations of criminal misconduct seriously,” the company said in a statement on social media. “An internal investigation into the allegations is ongoing.”
Two separate police departments in Milton and Roswell, Ga., are now looking into the allegations against Frerking, Knox News reported. Frerking did not respond to a request for comment.
Front Office Sports obtained copies of documents from both police departments that prompted their investigations. In the documents, citizens claimed Frerking had promised them services in early May but never delivered, and that about 15 people living in the same neighborhood had lost a combined total of more than $15,000 to Frerking. One document also mentioned a complaint had been filed with the Federal Trade Commission.
The former Vol held a position on the board of Volunteer Legacy, a nonprofit arm of Tennessee collective Spyre Sports focused on charitable NIL deals. But according to contracts first reported by Knox News and obtained by FOS, he was hired by the football program on July 1, 2023, to advise coaches, staff, and players using his NIL expertise. He was tasked with public appearances “aiding in future development of [the] program” and “guiding communication efforts” with outside entities that would “ensure program success.” His duties included helping coaches learn “best practices for navigating the current climate of College Football.” He was paid $7,500 every six months, with the last payment due on Jan. 1, 2025.
A spokesperson for the Tennessee athletic department tells FOS the school was unaware of any complaints or allegations against Frerking and his business practices. “We are learning about the situation as it evolves. His consulting agreement will not be renewed,” the spokesperson said.
Shannon Terry, On3’s founder and CEO, posted online that the company wasn’t aware Frerking had a paid relationship with UT.
“Grant was explicitly instructed not to engage, either directly or indirectly, with the University of Tennessee or its associated collective,” Terry wrote. “On multiple occasions during his employment, he was asked to confirm compliance with this directive, and he repeatedly denied any involvement. These representations were false. He lied to us.”
