Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

USA TODAY Sports recruited 11 prospects to chronicle their journey to the NFL draft. Today's entry is from Florida Atlantic cornerback Keith Reaser, who underwent ACL surgery in October and again in February after doctors found during an examination at the NFL scouting combine that his body was rejecting the original cadaver graft.

The first time I had the surgery, what I was most nervous about in talking to doctors was, would I be able to run fast afterwards? I see a lot of people that have knee surgery, and they never seem the same. But after the first surgery, no one was expecting me to run that fast, that soon. The second time around, I'm not concerned about the speed at all. I feel very confident if I take the right steps and the right approach in my rehab, that'll come back, without question.

It's been six weeks since the second surgery and I'm progressing to some weights — everything from mini-squats and step-ups to hamstring curls. I started leg pressing. I walk on the treadmill. It feels a little different, because it's a different type of surgery in a sense. You get a little bit more pain in the patella area, where they took the graft from. But it wasn't like I had a new ACL injury, where my knee was damaged or damaged other ligaments. It was just replacing the graft.

I didn't lose as much strength as the first time. You still do lose a lot in the quad muscles, but I've already regained my flexibility and full range of motion. All of those things came back really quick. I probably have another month and a half before I can start back jogging, and from there, it's probably another month or two before I can start cutting. I'm hoping to be cleared to play around late August. I can't predict the future, but I don't see it taking longer than that in talking with my trainers and the doctors.

I'll go to Indianapolis on April 24th and go back through all of the tests. It's called the combine re-check. It's for players that had any type of injuries that doctors want to see their progression or make sure everything's healing properly. Hopefully, everything should look good and we'll be able to come up with a timeframe on when I should be able to start participating in football activities. Considering how fast I came back from the first one, even if it did take a little bit longer with this one, that would still be great timing.

Our pro day was last weekend. I went, supported the other guys and talked to scouts. They were asking exactly what happened with my knee and the last surgery. They were asking who did the surgery this second time around, which was Dr. James Andrews. They were really just trying to find out at what point I would be cleared to play. My agent and I have talked about sending a letter to teams to explain my situation — probably after I go back to Indianapolis and everything is cleared with the team doctors there.

It's definitely, definitely disappointing to be in this spot, and it does take some of the edge off the draft, because my situation is a lot different than everyone else's. But I'm still excited for it. I'm just ready to know what's next. Right now, I feel like I'm in limbo. I think I'm one of the best corners in the draft and I don't think the injury will affect me at all, other than the timing of when I can start playing and practicing. Whatever team I do go to, they're getting a great corner.

Follow Keith Reaser on his journey to the NFL draft on Twitter at @KeithReaser3.