Q&A: Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss

Inside linebacker Gerald McRath, formerly of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, recorded a whopping 137 tackles, including 9 1/2 tackles for a loss last season. He also forced two fumbles and recovered two others. Click to listen to interview with Daniel Mogollon.

Hey Gerald, how’s it going today?

McRath: I’m doing great, how're you doing?

I’m doing pretty good. It’s less than three weeks until D-day and I think everybody involved in this Draft process can’t wait for that day to come.

McRath: Oh, no doubt! It’s an exciting moment. I think it's more anxiousness than anything else, just waiting to see where you’re going to go, where you’re going to land, where your new journey is going to begin.

So now, as you’re finished with a lot of the things that are involved, including the NFL Scouting Combine and your Pro Day, and every day is another hour, another minute closer to when you’re going to hear your name called here in the Big Apple, in New York City, are those butterflies starting to churn a little bit?

McRath: Not really. You know, it’s something that you dream of. You’re living the dream. But this is something that I always imagined when I was little; to get to this point it’s kind of like, hey, you’re one day closer. It’s almost like Christmas in April in a sense, you know, waiting to see what going to unfold on the 25th and 26th. So you know, just happy, happy, just cherishing every moment of it. I’m just ready though.

I love that analogy, I couldn’t agree more. It’s like Christmas in April for football fans and I guess you guys you feel the same way. From the fans’ perspective they get to see what’s under the tree for their football team. Who did their team add? How did they get better? This is how you build a winning team—through the Draft. So Gerald, besides all the football stuff, and we’ll get to all that, when you do have some free time, what do you do? What do you do to keep your head straight during this sometimes-strenuous process?

McRath: Oh man, Guitar Hero World Tour! That is my savior! I think that’s keeping me sane right now. I’ve beaten the game once on medium, I have risen my skill level up to hard and I’m waiting on getting the drum and the mic. Right now, me and my sister, we both take turns playing the bass and the guitar, but we need to get a mic and the drum set so I can feel like a real rock star. But that’s what I spend most of my free time on right now.

[Laughs] Are you trying to angle for some kind of marketing deal here, Gerald?

McRath: You know what, I don’t know, but my little sister, I think I’m scaring her because I will jump up and down and I feel like I’m a real rock star. But it is fun, and that’s something that I spend a lot of my time with lately, playing that.

How old is your little sister?

McRath: She’s thirteen.

Thirteen. So that’s like a decent gap. I actually have a similar distance between myself and my kid brother. So what’s that relationship like? I mean, are you almost like half brother, half dad with that?

McRath: Oh man, it’s crazy because just for the fact that I’ve been going to Southern Miss for the past five years and never being able to come home as much as you would love to, trying to do the things down at school, but coming back it’s kind of like wow, my little sister...she’s not little anymore! But it’s good in a sense though, it’s good to be back home and spend some time. She’s on spring break this week, so we’re getting a lot of quality time in, like I said, playing video games, playing Wii, just hanging out together. Big brother, little sister deal.

So let me ask you, man, any guys knocking on that door?

McRath: Not that I know of, or maybe she’s just not telling me. [Laughs]

[Laughs] But they definitely don’t want to find you, right? I mean, they don’t want to find that big brother, 230-pound linebacker waiting there.

McRath: Nah, I think they’ll be more worried about my dad! [Laughs]

[Laughs] That’s for sure though. That’s a scary age though, when the girls hit those teenage years, for sure.

McRath: She’s growing up, though. I can definitely say that she’s going to be able to handle all that.

All right. Back to the Guitar Hero, what kind of jams do you like to play on there?

McRath: Oh man, I’m loving “What I’ve Done”, I think it’s by Lincoln Park and there’s another song called “Float On”. I’m not sure who sings it though, but I love that song. And let’s see, my little sister’s favorite song is “Misery’s Business” and I think she likes No Doubt...that song, “Spiderwebs”.

Now is this stuff that you would listen or is the game introducing you to some different kind of tunes?

McRath: It’s some things that I would listen to, things I’ve heard, especially the Lincoln Park. But it’s actually opened my eyes, you know? It’s funny because now that I listen to it, it’s like hey, me and my sister are like hey, we’re going to go get this and download it on iTunes and put it on our iPods and stuff. It’s a mini-introductory to some new songs as well.

So, how about the Wii? What’s your favorite game on the Wii? The Wii is pretty cool. My daughter, she’s not even three-years old and she can kind of grab it and play with it a little bit and play some of the sports games on that. Not play the whole game, but kind of hit the ball or throw the bowling ball.

McRath: We’re playing right now, the bowling. Nobody can really beat me at the tennis; I think I’m the pro at tennis right now. I’m liking the golf, I’m really liking the golf, the golf is very relaxing. It’s very fun. But I’ve been playing the Mario Brothers and Sonic Track and Field too. That’s kind of like a post workout. If I want to get an extra workout in, I grab that. That is really intense.

Keeping in shape even when you’re playing the video games. So when you play the golf game, the Tiger Woods game, do you put the golf glove on too?

McRath: No, no, I actually need to go get one. Right now I’m just using the controller. But I’m getting ready to take it to the next level though. I think I’m getting to the point where I can start golfing a negative one. Right now I’m stuck in the positives. [Laughs] I’m stuck in the positives when I finish now though.

And how about the other games? Are you one of those guys that plays the bowling game where you kind of just sit on the couch and just rocket it with that powerful arm of yours or do you get up and kind of go through the whole thing as if you were really in a bowling alley?

McRath: You see, that’s the thing with the Wii—like you actually have to get into it. Like you have to really mimic the movements. I’m the type of guy I like to get into it. I like being the best at whatever I do, so I’m going to stand up, I’m going to get the forward movement and everything. And just try to make sure I don’t hit the TV. [Laughs] Make sure my strap is on properly from my controller.

[Laughs] So when you play tennis, you have to clear out and make a little space.

McRath: Oh, no doubt! We have, in the den area, we have a big space where we compete. We go at it. We go at it real well. [Laughs]

Gerald, before we get to the football, I know you also like to watch cartoons. That’s been a little bit of a theme with the draft guys. We’re starting to learn that even the college guys are still into the cartoons. And I’m not just talking about “Family Guy” cartoons. Which cartoons are you into?

McRath: I’ve always been a big fan of Sponge Bob. Growing up, my college room, my dorm room was influenced by it. A lot of guys used to laugh—I used to have the alarm clock, the curtains, the bed sheets, the two pillowcases, the whole nine yards. Mouse pad, everything was Sponge Bob. I’m still with Sponge Bob, I’ve actually moved on a little bit more to older stuff too. I like watching, right now being back home I have a little bit more access to watch more cartoons, with the Boomerang I get to watch The Jetsons, you know, The Flintstones, The Pink Panther, Huckleberry Hound, all the old school cartoons.

Old school!

McRath: Old school cartoons, yeah.

Yeah, I like the old school toons as well. I try to introduce those to my daughter, the old school ones on Boomerang. Tom & Jerry, Jetsons like you said, bringing them back, they’re still on TV there. How about your sister? Does she watch the cartoons with you too or is she in that age where she’s too adult to watch cartoons?

McRath: She’s too adult. I think I’m a little bit too much of a kid for my little sister. [Laughs] The Hills and Taking The Stage, the reality shows, and the music videos and that deal. She’ll watch some cartoons, maybe The Powerpuff Girls, she might watch that. I think The Cartoon Network has a new show, a show about teenagers. She’ll watch that one with me but I think I’m a little young for her right now. [Laughs]

All right, Gerald, let’s talk a little football before we let you go here. So how has this process been? Tell me, you know, how you feel with less than three weeks to go. Are you happy with everything that’s worked out—the Combine, the Pro Day, talking to teams. Are you pleased with your progress so far?

McRath: I definitely am. That’s one of the biggest things when you’re in this process is knowing that you took advantage of every day. Knowing that you took advantage and you don’t have regrets. And I feel at this point in time, I have no regrets. I feel like I’ve done everything to help myself. I’m happy. I’m happy where I’m sitting now. I’m just, like I said earlier, I’m just sitting back. It’s in God’s hands now; I’m waiting on Christmas to come around and for Santa Claus to bring me something good and I’m praying it’ll work, just ready to make it to this next level. Make it, ready to just carry my weight and contribute to the team.

So where do you plan on spending this Christmas in spring?

McRath: With my family. With my mother, my dad, and my little sister. Staying at the house. I think on Sunday if they, I don’t know, I think my parents are thinking about having some family members over. I’m more into the spending time with my family, with my mom, my dad and my little sister. I’m fine with that, with just those guys. Just sitting back, waiting for some good news.

Have you worked out with any teams or had any team visits to this point?

McRath: I have. I worked out with Cincinnati after my Pro Day and I have a workout next week with the Atlanta Falcons.

And when is that?

McRath: That’s on the 16th I believe.

That would be the hometown team there, right? You’re a Georgia native, is that kind of making you excited a little bit, the idea of playing in your own backyard and having your family nearby, being able to watch you at the games?

McGrath: You know what? To be honest with you, I’m just excited to work out with anybody at this point. It’s different because I’m not in college, I’m not in school anymore and my team, they’re at spring ball, they’re actually playing. It’s kind of like I’m sitting here and I’m having to wait. [Laughs] It’s almost like torture to try to get on the field. Like anytime I can get back on the field, it’s great, you know, to do something that I really love and something I’ve been doing for a long time. At this point any workout, anytime I can put my cleats back on, you know what, I’m just...I appreciate it. I’m just happy.

Let me ask you about one of your former teammates before we let you go. That’s Shawn Nelson, tight end out of Southern Miss. Give us a reason why teams should think about him early in that second round.

McRath: He’s a great guy, and a tremendous player as well, a tremendous teammate. He has leadership qualities that you need; he’s able to make a difference in the game. You really can feel his presence when he’s around. He’s the type of player that is a wide receiver in a tight end’s body, which creates tremendous competition levels in practice and in games. It was an honor to be able to play against him and beside him. And you know what, at the end of the day I can say that whatever team that he gets picked to, he’s going to make the team and make the players around him better.

All right, Gerald, as you know, we close things out with a segment we call three-and-out. So First Down: if you had the first pick in the Draft, who would you pick?

McRath: Myself. [Laughs]

[Laughs.] Good answer there, good answer. Second Down:we talked a little cartoons, but what about superheroes? Growing up, who was your favorite superhero?

McRath: Oh man, wow. Batman.

Batman? I’m a big Batman fan myself. And Third Down: if you were in a competition, where would you go further, American Idol or Dancing with the Stars?

McRath: Dancing with the Stars.

Even playing the Guitar Hero, it would still be Dancing with the Stars, huh?

McRath: No doubt. I feel like I have what it takes to do the moves. I wouldn’t mind being on Dancing with the Stars.

Well, you know, if we get you to be the first overall pick, maybe you’ll get there.

McRath: I know that’s right! [Laughs]

All right, Gerald, thanks a lot for giving us some time and talking to us. We definitely want to wish you luck moving forward and you’ll definitely be hearing your name called next weekend.

McRath: Thank you.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Southern Mississippi)