They prepare collectively, father and son, operating hills in northeast Kansas, even now — particularly now — as Lawson McGraw finishes his senior yr at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas. In lower than six months, Lawson will start a brand new chapter and deal with new challenges as an incoming freshman at Okay-State. He’ll journey down that acquainted Interstate-70 West, like numerous occasions earlier than, and take Coach Bill Snyder Highway down a valley and into the center of the Little Apple — a spot he is recognized since start.
It’s like a second house.
Many of Lawson’s family members reside in Manhattan — he visits his grandparents most Thanksgivings and Christmases — and since he can bear in mind, he wore purple and attended Okay-State soccer video games, cheering for his gridiron heroes on the very soccer subject the place his father, Jon McGraw, grew from walk-on to 2002 NFL second-round draftee to a 10-year NFL veteran and crew captain with the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2011, McGraw’s last yr within the NFL, the Chiefs awarded him with the Ed Block Courage Award by a vote of his teammates for being a job mannequin, an inspiration, and for his excessive diploma of sportsmanship and braveness.
Jon McGraw got here to Okay-State as a quarterback — far down the depth chart behind Michael Bishop — earlier than Okay-State head coach Bill Snyder moved McGraw to security.
Lawson McGraw is not coming to Okay-State as a backup quarterback, however the 6-foot-4, 230-pound McGraw follows in his father’s footsteps, as he’s famous as one of the crucial athletic skills within the nation within the Class of 2026, having performed security and punter, then outdoors linebacker and punter and tight finish. Tight finish is the place that he’ll play for the Wildcats.
“It’s just a part of our family,” McGraw says. “You’re going to try your hardest and put everything out there and have that K-State grit. I wanted to do the best I can at whatever I can, whether it’s Monopoly or football. It’s just who the McGraws are. I’m really excited to take that to K-State with me.”
So, the daddy and son run hills, they prepare, and it wasn’t too way back that their exercise took a short pause. Lawson, and his dad and mom Jon McGraw and Gretchen Graber, took a break and grabbed breakfast. It was National Signing Day, December 3, and Lawson had simply completed an early-morning Zoom name with the Okay-State coaches. Lawson and his dad and mom had an early-morning celebration earlier than Lawson went to highschool. That afternoon, they realized that Chris Klieman had formally retired as Okay-State head coach.
His substitute? Collin Klein.
“Obviously, Collin is a really good coach with Texas A&M going 11-1 and being in the playoffs,” McGraw says. “I’ve known Collin pretty much my whole life from when he was playing. He lived with my cousin, Jeff Smith, who played at K-State in the early 1990s and was the team chaplain for a long time. So, I’d see Collin. That was cool.”
McGraw says that he has texted with Klein “briefly” since his hiring as Okay-State head coach, including that “he’s going to win a national championship, so I’m not going to take up his time.”
But already, McGraw imagines himself operating onto the soccer subject at Bill Snyder Family Stadium previous to the 2026 season opener. The starting of a brand new chapter awaits.
“I’m really excited,” McGraw says. “It’s going to be a dream come true. I’m just filling in these last couple months of high school and do everything I can to train and stay in shape and enjoy my last year with my friends.”
He pauses.
“I have to stay true to the mission,” he says, “and be ready for K-State.”
A four-year starter at Bue Valley West, McGraw had 49 catches for 799 yards and 12 touchdowns over his last two seasons at tight finish, and he had 98 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, 4 passes defended and 9 compelled fumbles over his last three seasons, whereas he additionally competed in basketball and observe.
“I’m pretty new to the tight end position,” McGraw says. “I started playing offense for the first time last year. I didn’t get to play every snap on offense this year just because I played every snap on defense. I’m growing a ton at the position. Each week I got so much better. I’m pretty versatile. I can do a lot. I know a lot of concepts and know how to beat defenses in the passing game, and I’m growing as a blocker. I’m a pretty long, athletic guy.”
Jon McGraw has been with Lawson each step of the way in which.
“My dad played a huge role in my growth and just the development of playing football,” McGraw says. “I’ve skilled with my dad because the starting of highschool. He put me into actually good conditions to coach with actually good individuals. Watching movie with him after video games and practices and watching opponent movie — it has been an enormous assist. Recruiting clever, he was on a few of my journeys.
“I talk with a recruiter and say, ‘My dad played in the NFL for 10 years.’ They talk about football, and I listen and soak it in. It’s really cool to be a part of. It’s helped me out a ton.”
The first contact with Okay-State got here with an invitation from longtime director of recruiting Taylor Braet to attend a Okay-State camp. During the Okay-State camp heading into his junior season, McGraw performed on offense, and he performed on protection. Okay-State coaches knew that McGraw would offer worth wherever he performed on the sphere.
McGraw took some journeys and noticed some locations, visited locker rooms and soccer fields and coaches’ places of work throughout the nation, however purple was firmly in his coronary heart.
“K-State is family, toughness and grit,” McGraw says. “It’s all the time been part of my household. Growing up, it is how I was raised. I was raised on Okay-State.
“My grandparents are super excited to have me in town.”
Sometimes, Lawson pops on the grainy movie of his father’s taking part in days at Okay-State, watching his highlights and particular moments.
“It’s really cool to hear the TV commentators get really excited,” McGraw says, “as a result of that will get me excited as a result of that is going to be me quickly.
“I can’t wait to follow in his footsteps.”
Even if Lawson is taking part in on the opposite facet of the soccer.
“I’ve learned to be resilient,” McGraw says. “I had a different recruiting process in changing positions a couple times, and I had a couple injuries my sophomore year, and this year I got banged up. Being tough, you have to attack every week and prepare and take care of your body. It’s a job. It’s tough. That’s why it’s awesome and why most people don’t get to participate and enjoy it.”
On Saturdays within the fall, the McGraws and Garbers will load up and head west on Interstate-70 after which north on Coach Bill Snyder Highway to their acquainted second house. The place the place the daddy as soon as roamed is now reserved for the son.
And what a present it might be.
“K-State didn’t have to sell me on Manhattan,” McGraw says. “I’ve been there my whole life.”
It’s like a second house.