Richmond-area fans will have a local athlete to root for Jan. 1 when Alabama collides with Ohio State in the ground-breaking Division I National Football Playoffs.

Lining up at inside linebacker for Ohio State and wearing No. 14 is former Hermitage High School All-State star Curtis Grant.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior captain is ranked fifth among the Buckeyes in tackles, with 53, including five take-downs for losses plus a fumble recovery.

Grant is the son of Gloria Grant of Glen Allen and the late Curtis R. Grant, who died in 2013 at age 54.

The elder Grant was a standout defensive end at Virginia Union University in the late 1970s and early 1980s under head coach Willard Bailey and defensive coordinator Jesse Chavis.

As a senior at Henrico County’s Hermitage High in 2010, Grant led coach Patrick Kane’s Panthers to the State Group AAA championship game before losing to Battlefield High School of Prince William County.

Grant was among the most heavily recruited athletes in area history. As part of the recruiting Class of 2011, he was the nation’s No. 2-rated player — behind South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney — by Rivals.com.

In Columbus, Grant was never red-shirted, despite nagging ankle and back injuries as a freshman and sophomore.

He emerged as a full-time starter during his junior year and was named defensive captain this season.

Ohio is 12-1, with its lone loss on Sept. 6 to Virginia Tech. Since then, the Buckeyes have won 11 straight games, most recently demolishing Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big Ten title game.

Alabama, also 12-1, is ranked No. 1. The Crimson Tide was named national champ in 2009, 2011 and 2012.