RB, Oklahoma
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 206 lbs
Class: Senior
A four-star prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, Gray was a high school All-American and a three-time winner of the Tennessee Mr. Football award. As a top 100 recruit, he initially committed to play for Michigan, before flipping to his home state Tennessee.
Gray spent his first two collegiate seasons with the Volunteers. As a true freshman he formed part of a committee backfield, before leading the team in carries, yards, and touchdowns as a sophomore. Following Tennessee’s recruiting scandal, Gray announced that he would be entering the transfer portal and eventually landed at Oklahoma. He spent much of the 2021 season behind Kennedy Brooks, before a strong 2022 campaign that saw him earn Second Team All-Big 12 honours.
Strengths
One of Gray’s best traits is his patience and vision as a runner. He understands how to pace his runs to maximum effect and looked very comfortable following lead blockers in Oklahoma’s counter-heavy rushing attack. His ability to pair this with a great understanding of blocking schemes and an awareness for how things are set up around him makes him a huge asset on zone concepts too. Gray has a natural feel for finding cutback lanes and shows the ability to improvise effectively when plays break down.
Gray also ticks the box when it comes to his athletic tools. His footwork is amongst the quickest you will find at the position and routinely allows him to escape tricky situations. Once he does see daylight, he has the explosiveness to plant his foot and get north in a hurry. When he hits the open field, Gray showcases the change of direction ability that you want at the position and can slalom through traffic without sacrificing speed.
This all combines to make him one of the most elusive rushers in the country. His dynamic vision in the open field and quick cutting ability make him a nightmare for pursuing defenders to corral. He has a number of impressive moves as a ball carrier, with an excellent dead leg and an effective spin move that allow him to create his own yardage on a consistent basis. Gray averaged 3.43 yards after contact per attempt in 2022, whilst also forcing an impressive 58 forced missed tackles on 212 carries.
In addition to his contribution as a runner, Gray is also a solid option in the passing game. He has featured frequently as a receiver at both Tennessee and Oklahoma, with 67 career catches to his name. Whilst he isn’t the most developed route runner, he possesses soft hands and looks comfortable working outside his frame. His dynamic open field ability also extends to his pass catching and he can be a legitimate YAC weapon on screens and swing passes.
Weaknesses
The most notable weakness to Gray’s game at present is his play strength. This was apparent when he was engaged with bigger defenders, who typically brought him down on first contact. Whilst Gray can make defenders miss, he doesn’t have the ability to consistently plough through traffic for the tough yardage. This shows up when he is used in short yardage or goal line situations, as well as pass protection.
Another concern with Gray will be his age. Whilst he is only a fourth-year senior, he will turn 24 years old midway through his rookie season. Given the notoriously short shelf life for running backs in the modern NFL, this will raise some concerns about his potential for longevity.
Bottom Line
Gray lacks ideal play strength and is an older prospect, but there is still a tonne to love about his game. His combination of vision, elusiveness, and three-down versatility are eminently translatable to the NFL and will help him to see the field early on in his pro career.
Ideal role: Rotational back in a zone-heavy scheme
Round projection: 3rd round
