Eric Gray, RB Oklahoma: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Gray was a four-star recruit from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tenn. in the class of 2019

Oklahoma’s Eric Gray was a legendary high school running back in Tennessee, but he didn’t make much of an impact with the Sooners last season. The former four-star recruit is running out of time to jumpstart his draft stock. Luckily, Gray is positioned to have his most productive season yet and carry momentum into the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Eric Gray, RB Oklahoma: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior running back from Memphis, Tenn.

Background: Gray was a four-star recruit from Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis, Tenn. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 184 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 162 for On3.com. Gray was an unranked four-star recruit for Rivals. ESPN ranked him 263rd in the nation with an 81 grade out of 100. According to ESPN, Gray ran a 4.57 40-yard dash coming out of high school. As a high school senior, Gray totaled 2,499 yards and 40 touchdowns. He produced 3,151 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior and 2,251 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2016. Gray was the Tennessee Football Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018. He participated in the 2019 U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was the first player to be named Tennessee’s Mr. Football three times ((2016, 2017, and 2018). Gray’s 138 career touchdowns set the Tennessee state record. His father (Eric) played running back at Tennessee State from 1985-87, and his uncle (Maurice Hall) played running back at Ohio State from 2001-04. Gray originally committed to Michigan before switching to Tennessee. He transferred from Tennessee to Oklahoma in 2021. Gray was born on Nov. 4, 1999.

2021 Production: 13 games, 78 carries, 412 yards, 2 touchdowns + 23 receptions, 229 yards, 2 touchdowns + 4 kick returns, 72 yards

2020 Production: 9 games, 157 carries, 772 yards, 4 touchdowns + 30 receptions, 254 yards, 2 touchdowns + 5 punt returns, 35 yards

2019 Production: 13 games, 101 carries, 539 yards, 4 touchdowns + 13 receptions, 115 yards, 1 touchdown

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2020

Awards: 2019 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2019-20 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl MVP

Pros: Experience in three of the four major special teams areas, only dropped two passes over the past two seasons, some experience playing in the slot, zero fumbles in 2021, displays the lower body fluidity to set defenders up for moves with cuts and inside-out fakes, quickness helps him make defenders miss in the backfield and in small spaces, makes full speed open field cuts and sidesteps, has added about half a dozen pounds since joining the Sooners, legitimate third down receiving threat, displays proper effort in pass protection, high number of successful reps in pass pro compared to other backs in this class, show some suddenness, elusive in the open field, above average burst, varies his pace to better utilize blocks and set up cuts, exceptional change of direction skills

Cons: Fumbled three times in 2020, not a pile mover, doesn’t break tackles with power very often, inconsistent at producing between the tackles, contact balance is below average, needs to refine his technique in pass pro, he has a lean frame that could become a limiting factor in the NFL, quicker than he is fast, doesn’t have home run speed, not twitchy

Overview: Gray is unofficially listed at 5'10", 211 lbs. He played a much smaller role at Oklahoma this past season than most analysts and fans expected. However, the Tennessee native is poised to have his most productive season yet now that Kennedy Brooks is in the NFL. Gray isn’t twitchy, but he displays excellent change of direction skills and lower body fluidity. He sets defenders up for cuts, sidesteps, and jukes using a combination of varied pace, head and arm fakes, and footwork. Gray’s ability to make defenders miss all over the field while maintaining his momentum projects as his best quality going to the NFL. He’s also a viable pass catcher who should see 40 or more targets per year. Gray shows effort in pass protection and wins a solid number of reps, but he’s occasionally overwhelmed by power or displays poor form. He has a lean build that is unsuited for playing through contact or in short-yardage situations. Gray may struggle to create between the tackles at the next level because of this physical limitation.

Overall, Gray displays some of the best agility and change of direction skills in this running back class. However, he might not be a true three-down back at the next level because of his struggles playing through contact and breaking tackles. Gray’s upside as a pass catcher and lower body agility make him an early Day 3 pick.

Role & Scheme Fit: Rotational back in a gap or zone scheme

Round Projection: Late Fourth to Mid Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 07-22-22