- Position
- Class
- Weight
- High School/Other
- Hometown
- Defensive Tackle
- r-Junior
- 277 lbs.
- Meadowbrook
- Richmond, Va.
Spent the spring at defensive end after starting every game at tackle during the 2008 season … Will return to his starting tackle job for the season, but will benefit from his experience at end … A good football player who the coaches trust … Is strong, physical and quick … Can always be counted on for great effort … Continues to get better … Became the first player to block a kick in three consecutive games under Coach Frank Beamer when he picked up a block in each of the first three games in 2008.
2008: A starter on the extra point/field goal block team, as well as at tackle … Compiled 26 tackles, four for losses, and hurried the quarterback 11 times during the season … Started and played a combined total of 74 snaps during the first two games … Blocked an extra point that was returned for a defensive PAT against East Carolina … Blocked a field goal in the win over Furman … Made it three games in a row with the block of a PAT versus Georgia Tech … Added two tackles, one for a loss, and two hurries in that game … Caused and recovered a fumble, broke up a pass, hurried the QB twice and added five tackles in win at UNC … Hurried the quarterback twice and broke up a pass in the win at Nebraska … Recovered a fumble and posted a hurry against Boston College … Had a tackle for loss and a hurry in the FSU game … Shared a tackle behind the line and picked up a hurry during the Maryland game … Posted three tackles and shared a sack in the Miami game … Was in on 50 plays against Duke with a pair of tackles and a QB hurry … Played 46 downs against Virginia with three tackles … Picked up four tackles while playing 60 snaps in the ACC title game against BC … Added another tackle in the Orange Bowl … His 35 1/2-inch vertical jump during off-season testing was the best among the defensive tackles … Was moved to defensive end prior to spring practice … Had a sack and four total tackles for loss in the first full scrimmage … Blocked a field goal in another scrimmage and posted a pair of tackles during the Maroon-White game.
2007: Saw his first collegiate action with 12 defensive plays and two more on special teams … Was in on a pair of tackles … Was credited with two tackles, including one behind the line at LSU … Played 17 downs on defense against Ohio and had three tackles … Worked 32 plays against William & Mary, contributing two quarterback hurries and a tackle for loss … Had a hurry in the UNC game … Picked up two more hurries at Clemson on 26 plays … Contributed a tackle and a QB hurry at Georgia Tech … Hurried the quarterback twice while playing 22 downs against Miami … Was in on a tackle and had a pair of hurries during the ACC Championship game against BC … Finished the season with 11 total tackles and 11 quarterback hurries … Bench pressed 400 pounds during off-season testing and recorded a 360-pound push jerk … Posted a sack in each of the team’s two major spring scrimmages … Won the Frank O. Moseley Award for the defensive player who exhibited the most hustle during the off-season and spring workouts.
2006: Was redshirted while working at defensive tackle … Posted a 390-pound bench press and 360-pound push jerk during spring max testing … Led the tackles with a 34 1/2-inch vertical jump … Got most of his work at end during spring practice … Won the Paul Torgersen Award as the top defensive newcomer in the spring.
High School: An All-America selection by PrepStar and SuperPrep … Played defensive end and offensive guard as a four-year starter for Coach Bill Bowles at Meadowbrook … Ranked the No. 7 player in the state by The Roanoke Times in its postseason list … Ranked the No. 7 player in Virginia by SuperPrep … Listed as the No. 11 player in his state by rivals.com in its final state rankings … Had 65 tackles as a senior, including nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss, in earning district defensive player of the year honors … Also had two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five blocked kicks … Named first-team all-state by The Associated Press as a defensive lineman … Named first-team all-state by the VHSCA as both an offensive guard and defensive end … Earned first-team All-Metro honors from the Richmond Times-Dispatch … Named first-team All-Central District as both an offensive guard and a defensive end … Set a school record by blocking 12 kicks during his career … Scored defensive touchdowns this past season on an interception and a fumble return … As a junior, was the Central District, region and All-Metro defensive player of the year in leading his team to a State AAA, Group 5 state title … Rated the No. 21 strongside defensive end in the country by rivals.com … Listed as the No. 32 defensive lineman in the country by SuperPrep … Rated the No. 34 defensive tackle in the country by scout.com … Rated the No. 90 player in the country and the No. 22 defensive end in the country by collegefootballnews.com … Ranked the No. 54 postseason prospect on the scout.com East Region Hot 100 … Started every game on varsity during his four-year career.
Personal: John Walter Graves … Born 6/25/87 in Richmond, VA … Son of John and Joyce Graves … Graduating this summer with a double major in psychology and sociology.
| Tackles | Sacks | Pass Defense | Fumbles | Blocked | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | GS | Solo | Ast | Total | TFL-Yds | No-Yds | Int | BU | PD | QBH | Rcv | FF | Kick |
| 2007 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 2.5-4 | 0.0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 4.0-8 | 0.0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2009 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 2.0-10 | 1.0-7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 41 | 22 | 27 | 25 | 52 | 8.5-22 | 1.0-7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Interception Returns | Fumble Returns | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | GS | No. | YDS | Avg | TD | Long | No. | YDS | Avg | TD | Long | ||
| 2007 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career | 41 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||





