lit a candle 1h agoMy mother rang me here in Leuven to tell me, she still lives two streets from the Graners in Dripping Springs. 28. I keep thinking of Walt watching him play at Texas Tech years before, and now this.
Their story
Jacob Graner was a former University of Texas at San Antonio offensive lineman whose life centered on football, family, and the quiet work of protecting others, both in the trenches and at home. He died on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at his home in Jasper, Georgia, at the age of…
Jacob Graner was a former University of Texas at San Antonio offensive lineman whose life centered on football, family, and the quiet work of protecting others, both in the trenches and at home. He died on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at his home in Jasper, Georgia, at the age of 28. The cause of death has not been made public.
Born on January 13, 1998, Graner grew up in Dripping Springs, Texas, the son of Victoria and Walt Graner. His father had played football at Texas Tech, and Jacob followed that path through Dripping Springs High School, where he lettered for four years and also competed in track and field in the discus and shot put, qualifying for the state meet in the discus as a senior. He enrolled at UTSA as a business management major and redshirted in 2016 before joining the Roadrunners' offensive line rotation.
Graner's most productive college season came in 2018, when he played in 11 of 12 games with three starts at guard, including starts in wins over Texas State and UTEP. That year the Roadrunners' offense piled up more than 2,500 total yards, and Graner was part of a line that held Louisiana Tech sack specialist Jaylon Ferguson without a solo tackle for loss in one outing and did not allow a sack against UAB. He appeared in two more games as a senior in 2019. Teammates later remembered him less for statistics than for a contagious laugh and an easy presence in the locker room.
After college he settled into family life with his wife, Natalie, and their sons Elijah James and Mason Blaine. His obituary described him as a loving and deeply involved father whose happiest memories were made beside the water with the people he loved most. When UTSA Athletics announced his death, former teammates and coaches filled social media with tributes. Head coach Jeff Traylor wrote that everyone who knew him spoke of what a wonderful human he was on and off the field.
A visitation and service were held at Roper Funeral Home in Jasper on September 18, 2026, followed by a Catholic Mass on September 19. In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations to a college fund for Jacob's two sons. He is also survived by his parents and his siblings Grace and Daniel.
Biography adapted from UTSA Athletics roster biography; Roper Funeral Home / Legacy.com obituary; San Antonio Express-News; EssentiallySports; teammate tributes on X..
In their own words
“We are saddened to learn about the passing of former UTSA football player Jacob Graner.”
UTSA Football statement on X, September 2026
“An absolute joy to be around... his laugh was contagious.”
Former UTSA teammate Josh Dunlop, reported in coverage of tributes
Photos
1Jacob Graner, UTSA offensive lineman
by People Forever
So sorry, that's a hard call to get from so far away.