On Thursday night, though, McGraw wasn't fighting for a job. The Kansas State and Riley County High alum, now i n h is eig ht h year in the N FL, ha s established himself as the Kansas City Chiefs' starting free safety. In his final preseason game -- a 17-9 loss on Thursday night to the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome -- McGraw, though he still played hard and handed out several brutal hits, was just trying to avoid injury.
Campbell, however, was making sure every snap counted.
The undrafted rookie defensive end, also a K-State product, was on the field for the Rams doing his best to draw attention -- it was his last chance to do so.
On Saturday, the Rams will cut 21 players to reach the 53-man roster.
"It is not really my call. I hope it works out in my favor," said Campbell, who is currently fourth on the Rams' depth chart at left defensive end. "All I can do is look back and say is I gave it all I got and hopefully God-willing something good comes out of it."
According to McGraw, that's all one can do.
That's a big reason, among other things, why he and a couple of former K-State standouts have made a career out of playing football. Tenth-year offensive tackle Damion McIntosh and linebacker Monty Beisel, who is in his ninth year and played in the Super Bowl with the Arizona Cardinals last season, are also currently playing for the Chiefs.
McGraw said not getting caught up with outside sources is what helped him -- and most likely McIntosh and Beisel -- through the frustrating and stressful moments.
"The best advice I can give to any guys that are going through this kind of process is to focus on what you control," McGraw said. "There are going to be a whole lot of things that happen to you that you are spinning your wheels if you are wasting your time thinking about them. And life is that way too." The 6-foot-4, 261-pound Campbell did what he could Thursday as he was used sparingly on special teams for most of the game, but didn't get thrust onto the defensive line until the second half.
Though he didn't record any tackles, he was in on several pass rushes, including one that forced an interception.
Just a minute into the fourth quarter, Chiefs' backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen rolled out of the pocket to his left. Campbell stuck with him and grabbed at his foot, forcing a bad pass near the sideline and Rams cornerback Justin King made a nifty onehanded snag for the interception.
"When (Campbell) grabbed it I guess it maybe pulled the ball behind him,"
Thigpen said.
Added Campbell: "It was a stunt run by us, and I came free. I just chased the quarterback like you are supposed to do my job."
Campbell hopes plays like that stick in the minds of the Rams' coaching staff. In four preseason games, the Cimarron native recorded just two tackles.
However, Campbell, who led K-State with 4.5 sacks last year, was limited in playing time. He was not only behind Victor Adeyanju and C.J. Ah You -second and third on the depth chart, respectively -- but also the Rams' 12thyear veteran Leonard Little.
Little was not in Thursday's game, however, due to a knee sprain he suffered in practice last week. He is expected to be ready for the season opener at Seattle on Sept. 13.
That puts Campbell's future in jeopardy. If the Rams decide to stick with just three -- or even two -- defensive ends on the left side, there is a chance that Campbell could stay on with the Rams as a member of their practice squad.
It would give him an opportunity to tweak areas and stay fresh. The learning experience would continue too and that's something Campbell won't take for granted.
"There is a lot to learn and those guys all have great technique, not to mention how athletic they are," he said. "They have been in the pros for a long time and I am just trying to learn something from them every day. I just feel blessed to even get the opportunity. It was a blast."
And if it doesn't work out?
"I'm just going to keep grinding it out and make the best out of it," he said. "Hopefully I will get the opportunity to keep playing because that's what I want to do. I'm not ready to give up on it."
