(Editor's Note: Local freelance writer Tim Cox sends his take on locals in the Super Bowl)

When Augusta TV viewers tune in to watch Super Bowl XLVI this Sunday evening, Feb. 5, they should be sure watch for No. 34 of the New York Giants – Deon Grant, a graduate of Augusta's T.W. Josey High School.

Before heading to the University of Tennessee, Grant was a member of the talented Josey Eagles squad that won the 1995 AAA Georgia High School football title. He also won a national BCS championship while at U. of Tennessee.

The 1995 Josey football team goes down in history as arguably, one of Augusta's finest high school football teams, ever.

Notably, Grant continues a long legacy of Augusta area football players who have participated in Super Bowl Sundays for many of the games' 46-year history.

Grant is making his second Super Bowl appearance in eight years, having played with the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII where they were defeated by the New England Patriots in February 2004.

This time as a New York Giant, Grant is hopeful for victory, as he once again faces another New England team led by Hall Of Fame-bound quarterback Tom Brady.

Ashley "AB" Brown, sports director of WRDW-AM, a Beasley Broadcasting radio station, says Grant's Super Bowl appearances, along with several other Augusta area players who have played in the the big game, is a major accomplishment for a proportionately small city.

"It's really significant to for so many of our players to have played in what's the biggest sporting contest in the world," said Brown.

"From Super Bowl III's Emerson Boozer to Sunday's Deon Grant – it's unreal," said Brown.

Boozer led the Lucy C. Laney Wildcats to the Georgia Interscholastic Association state high school football title in 1961, under legendary coach David Dupree. Boozer was also a star running back in Super Bowl III, along with "Broadway" Joe Namath when the New York Jets upset the Baltimore Colts in January 1969.

Following is a list of Augusta natives who have played in previous Super Bowls:

Jan. 12, 1969 - Emerson Boozer (Laney HS) Running Back, NY Jets;
Jan. 27, 1991 – Jeff Hunter (Hephzibah HS) Defensive Line, Buffalo Bills
Jan. 26, 1992 - JImmie Johnson Jr. (TW Josey), Tight End, Washington Redskins
Jan. 25, 1998 – Jermaine Smith (Laney HS) Defensive Line, Green Bay Packers
Jan. 28, 2001 – Chuck Evans (Glenn Hills HS) Fullback, Baltimore Ravens
Feb. 1, 2004 – Deon Grant (TW Josey HS) Safety, Carolina Panthers
Feb. 5, 2006 – Arnold Harrison (TW Josey HS) LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
Feb. 1, 2009 _ Ken Whisenhunt (Richmond Academy HS) was head coach of Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII and on Feb. 5, 2006, was assistant coach with Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.
Feb. 5, 2012 – Deon Grant (TW Josey HS) Safety, NY Giants

Other Augusta area athletes who have played in Super Bowls are as follows:

Barney Chavous, Schofield  HS (SC), Denver Broncos, Super Bowl XII
William "The Refrigerator" Perry, Aiken HS (SC), Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, London Monarchs; Super Bowl XX
Arnold Harrison Jr.,TW Josey HS, Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XL

Across the river in South Carolina, former Dallas Cowboys defensive back Charlie Waters played 12 seasons in the NFL. During that span, he played in five Super Bowls: and was victorious in Super Bowls VI and XIII, respectively

Waters played his high school ball at North Augusta High (SC) School. Another North Augusta graduate, Craig Baynham, also played with the Cowboys. It's believed Baynham may have also appeared in a Super Bowl during the mid-1960s.

Calvin Holland, a former Glenn Hills High School football and track coach., equates local success to determined athletes. "It shows that the CSRA is an area where we have fundamentally-sound athletes. It starts with good coaching, parental guidance and they must be effective in the classroom," he added. They're really inspired to succeed by seeing those before them 'make it' to the next level," said the former Richmond County Commissioner.

Holland played with the Dallas Cowboys in the early 1960s.

The following is a listi of players from the Augusta region, East Georgia and Western South Carolina who have gone on to play in the National Football League. Some players may have been inadvertently omitted from this list.

Sammy Lilly, Butler HS, Philadelphia Eagles
Takeo Spikes, Washington County HS, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo
Kendrell Bell, Laney HS, Pittsburgh Steelers
Robert Edwards, Washington-Wilkes County HS, New England Patriots
Terrence Edwards, Washingon-Wilkes County HS, Atlanta Falcons
Ira Hillary, Strom Thurmond HS., Cincinnati Bengals
Troy Brown, Blackville-Hilda HS, New England Patriots
Al Young, North Augusta HS Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers
Chip Banks, Laney HS, Cleveland Browns
George Harold, Laney HS, Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins
Pettis Norman, Lincoln County HS, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers
Curtis Rouse, Laney HS, San Diego Chargers (80s)
Craig Baynam, North Augusta HS, Dallas Cowboys
Raleigh Roundtree, TW Josey HS, San Diego Chargers, Edmonton Eskimos
Jamal Reynolds, Aiken HS, Green Bay Packers
Arthur Marshall, Hephzibah HS (GA), New York Giants, Denver Broncos
Corey Chavous, Silver Bluff H.S. (SC), Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams
Chris Mohr, Briarwood Academy HS, (Warrenton, Ga), Atlanta Falcons
Barney Chavous, Schofield HS (SC) Denver Broncos
Fred Vinson, North Augusta HS (SC), Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Cobras (Arena Football League))
D'wayne Bates, Silver Bluff HS (SC), Chicago Bears
Jerry Ellison, Glenn Hills HS, Tampa Bay Bucs
Troy Williamson, Silver Bluff HS (SC), Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ray Guy, Thomson HS, Oakland Raiders
Leroy Irvin Jr., Glenn Hills HS, Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys
Michael Dean Perry, Aiken HS (SC), Cleveland Browns, Broncos, KC Chiefs
Charlie Britt, North Augusta HS (SC), SF 49ers, LA Rams, Minnesota Vikings
Barney Bussey, Lincoln County HS (GA); Memphis Showboats, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay
Garrison Hearst, Lincoln County HS (GA), Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals
Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos
Raleigh Roundtree, TW Josey HS, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Edmonton Eskimos (Canadian Football League)
Carlos Rogers, Butler HS, Washington Redskins. San Francisco 49ers
Ben Troupe, Butler HS Tennesee Titans, Tampa Bay Bucs, Oakland Raiders
James Carpenter, Hephzibah HS, Seattle Seahawks
Eddie Lee Ivery, Thomson HS, Green Bay Packers
Jamal Reynolds, Aiken HS, Green Bay Packers.

(Timothy Cox is a freelance writer from Augusta, GA Ashley "AB" Brown contributed to this compilation)