| His durability questioned and ability critiqued, Kansas State S Jon
McGraw isn’t batting an eye. Projected as a second- or third-round pick in a
safety-rich draft, McGraw has battled back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in
November to make his body, and draft stock, stronger than ever. As good as he is on the
field, McGraw is an extremely pleasant visit off the gridiron, making him a must-have for
some NFL clubs. Q: You played in the Senior Bowl. What did that do for you?
A: It was frustrating. I didn’t get to play in the game because I was injured, but
it was good preparation. I made it through the majority of the practices and got a good
feel. There were a lot of scouts, a lot of teams to meet.
Q: You only played nine games last season. How is your health?
A: It was the left knee. I’m back to full strength, or right near it. It feels
great.
Q: How difficult was it for you to watch from the sidelines as your college career
ended rather than being on the field?
A: The thing about it, and what put a different light on it, was Sept. 11. I think
everyone had a different perspective. Had that happened earlier, I may have thought my
life was over. But to step back and as a senior team leader, you step back and say,
‘I pour a lot into it, but it is a game.’
Q: What kind of feedback did you get at the Senior Bowl?
A: It was all positive as far as I could tell. I didn’t feel like I was able to do
everything that I feel like I could do, but I put my best foot forward.
Q: You played for Mike Holmgren and the Seahawks’ coaching staff there. What
kind of feedback did you receive?
A: They told me my size was definitely a plus. As was the nose-of-the-ball
intelligence. One thing I need to work on is backpedaling, which is a thing maybe you
don’t always look at.
Q: Your knee is full strength. How did it get there?
A: It’s back. I’ve been training hard. Between Manhattan (Kansas) and down in
Houston with Danny Arnold of Pro Athletic. (K-State) LB Ben Leber and I both went down
there.
Q: What is the benefit of going to a trainer like that?
A: It’s almost like going to a camp. Your entire focus is on that and you get very
good training. Danny is known for his ability to get guys ready for the combine and the
draft. His focus is on biometric training, being explosive.
Q: Among former K-State guys, whom have you talked to?
A: There are a lot of guys that have gone in the last couple of years that I have kept
track of and they talked to me and told me what to expect and what not to expect. That was
definitely beneficial.
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