This is part of a series of 2009 Maryland football commitment Q&As leading up to Signing Day on Feb. 4. All answers are provided by the featured player. Click here for previous entries in the series.

Name: Avery Graham
Birthdate: Jan. 8, 1991
Birthplace: Baltimore
Hometown: Originally from Baltimore, now lives in Clarksburg
Nicknames: None
Height: 5’10
Weight: 195
Position: Defensive back
High School: Clarksburg High School
Senior statistics: 84 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). 620 yards rushing and four touchdowns on 51 carries. Nine receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns.
Rankings: Rivals.com -- Three stars, No. 69 cornerback, No. 5 fastest cornerback. Scout.com -- Three stars, No. 105 running back.
Bench max: 265
40-yard dash: 4.23
Other schools considered: “It was Maryland all the way. A lot of schools were contacting me, but I always liked the Terps. I’m from Baltimore and I wanted to stay near my brother. I didn’t consider other schools. I had other offers, but it was Maryland all the way.”
Favorite NFL player: Ed Reed
Favorite NFL team: Baltimore Ravens
Favorite movie: Boyz n the Hood
Favorite TV show: House
Favorite food: Chicken fingers
Favorite high school class: Science
Favorite thing about College Park: “Probably the Gossett team house.”
Other high school sports: Indoor and outdoor track
Hobbies: “Playing video games, taking care of my animals, going to the animal farm with my boys.”
Intended major: Animal science
Something that not many people know about you: “A lot of people don’t know I like animals. They don’t see that I’m the type that would like animals, but I’ve been raising animals all my life. I have birds, I have a macaw and a horse, a lot of dogs and goats and cows. I live on a farm out here. I also did something called arabbing in Baltimore. We got on the carriage with a horse and we’d sell fruit. I used to do that when I was younger.”
Best football moment: “It definitely has to be when we played Watkins Mill High School. It was a really muddy game and a hard-hitting game because we were rivals. It was our last game of the [regular] season last year. But we were playing for this little bowl. We went to four overtimes. The game was so long, but I scored the winning touchdown on a 44 counter. [The win gave us a] 10-0 record.”
Role model: “It’s got to be my mom because she gives me lots of inspiration. I don’t live with my mom anymore, but she lets me know where I come from and [tells me to not] forget where I come from.”
Why Maryland? “Because for one, if I maintain a 2.5 [grade-point average] they’ll let me run track and that was kind of my first sport. That was one of the main reasons I got a football scholarship -- because of my speed. But it was close to home and close to all my support people. I want to stay near my brother (9) who lives in Baltimore. And I just love Maryland football. And they have my major, which is animal science. It’s an agricultural school, so it’s the best thing to do. And looking at Maryland historically, a lot of their defensive backs go to the NFL. That’s definitely an opportunity for me to be in the best situation.”

• Click here for a recap of Graham’s senior season.