McGrady had planned to become a Lawyer and was working at a bank when his sister entered him in a contest for a scholarship to a local acting school. After that McGrady moved to California to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He was cast in a Cherry Pepsi commercial. He has worked steadily in the industry since. He guest starred in several popular television shows such as 24, Murder She Wrote, CSI: Miami, Leverage and Prison Break. McGrady played Sal Salinger on the TNT drama Southland, which premiered in April 2009. The show was cancelled by NBC after its first season, but cable channel TNT bought the rights for the show and ordered seven new episodes. He has also been seen as recurring character Frank Barnes on Showtime's Ray Donovan and appeared as Detective Philip Vanatter on FX's American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson.