MATT CAPOWSKI/Arizona Summer Wildcat Former Wildcat Steven Grace is trying to make the Arizona Cardinals after being picked up as a free agent. Grace and his new Cardinal teammates took part in a mini-camp in Arizona Stadium Thursday and Friday.

When the NFLās Arizona Cardinals arrived in Tucson Thursday for the Southern Arizona Mini-Camp, one member of the team felt right at home.

The Cardinalsā 82-man roster boasted a lone former Wildcat, 23-year-old center/guard Steve Grace.

The rookie, who went undrafted but was signed after the draft as a free agent, said he was pleased to be back in familiar surroundings just months after suiting up in his final game at Arizona.

ćItās nice (to be back),ä Grace said. ćI spent five years here, so itās real nice.ä

Graceās current boss, Cardinal offensive line coach George Warhop, said he was happy to sign Grace.

ćHe was one guy that we wanted to sign,ä Warhop said. ćWe thought about drafting him, but we got lucky and were able to sign him.ä

The Honolulu native said heās been hard at work since he left Arizona earlier this year, after a career that saw him start every game he was healthy for, and in which, he earned All Pacific 10 Conference honors twice.

ćIāve just been working out, working real hard at mini-camps,ä he said. ćIāve got to learn the offense. Thereās been a lot of stuff for me to do.ä

Graceās hard work hasnāt gone unnoticed among the Cardinals brass. General manager Bob Ferguson called his play ćoutstanding,ä and head coach Dave McGinnis was quick to praise the rookie as well, citing his versatility ÷ Grace started at multiple positions during his UA career ÷ as an asset.

ćHeās been working extremely hard, and weāve been impressed with what heās been able to do,ä McGinnis said. ćHeās got good feet and good quickness, which we like because he can play center or guard for us. Heās a guy thatās got a chance.ä

Some of Graceās former teammates said they were glad to see him back on the field where they played together.

ćI played for four years with Steve Grace, and heās a great guy,ä UA senior quarterback Jason Johnson said. ćOf any of my friends that I would want to succeed at the next level, it would be him.ä

Johnson added that seeing Grace and his NFL cohorts provided the current Wildcats ö many of whom were in attendance ö with an opportunity to see how they stack up against professional talent.

ćI think itās cool to look at some of the NFL guys and see how you measure up, because what weāre all dreaming to be is NFL players,ä Johnson said. ćI think itās kind of fun to see them in person, to see how big and fast they are. Itās my dream to play here one day.ä

Grace said that though heās moved on, he still keeps in touch with his former teammates.

ćEven though Iāve been away, trying to take care of my job and my life, I still talk to a bunch of people down here,ä Grace said.

The Southern Arizona mini-camp is just the first step for Grace, who will begin training camp with the team in Flagstaff on July 26th. Although Grace will face the first round of cuts on August 27, he wonāt know if he made the final roster until Sept. 1, when the current 82 players are trimmed down to the regular-season limit of 53.

Grace will likely play the guard position ÷ where he spent most of his UA career ÷ in the pros. He will face stiff competition, with four other rookie free agent guards on the Cardinal roster: Tony Wragge, Kurt Anderson, Sean OāConnor and Thomas Moody.

Johnson said he has no doubt his former teammate has what it takes to make the cut.

ćI think itās cool to see him making that next step, and I think he has the talent to play up here,ä Johnson said.

McGinnis said Grace is making the most of his shot at making it at the next level.

ćWeāve given him an opportunity, and I think heās got the right kind of personality and makeup that heāll take advantage of this opportunity,ä he said.

As for Grace, he said heāll take any chance he can get.

ćIām willing to do anything to make the team,ä Grace said. ćIāll be the water boy if I have to.ä

The Cardinals open their regular season in Washington, D.C. on September 8th.