Joshua Gray, OT/G Oregon State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Gray was a three-star recruit from Rancho Cucamonga High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. in the class of 2018

Oregon State left tackle Joshua Gray is a highly experienced lineman who played Bralen Trice well in 2022. Concerns about Gray’s size and arm length could force him to play guard, but his athleticism ranks among some of the top linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Joshua Gray, OT/G Oregon State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt junior left tackle from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Background: Gray was a three-star recruit from Rancho Cucamonga High School in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. in the class of 2018. He was the No. 814 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 826 for On3.com. Gray was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals and an unranked four-star recruit for ESPN with an 80 grade out of 100. He earned First Team All-League and First Team All-CIF honors in high school. As a senior, he helped Rancho Cucamonga finish the year with a 10-2 record and the No. 16 ranking in the state. As a junior, Gray contributed to a 12-1 team that finished with the No. 7 ranking in the state. His father, Germaine, played football at USC.

Injuries & Off-Field: N/A

Awards: 2020 Second Team All-Pac-12, 2021 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12, 2022 Second Team All-Pac-12

Pros: Enters 2023 with 33 consecutive starts, room on his frame to add mass, hustle player who battles through the whistle, maintains knee bend throughout rep, quick initial step, good footspeed, hands are quick to clamp, strong clamp, stays attached to defenders after first contact and remains with them throughout the play, core strength helps him stand firm against power rushes, footspeed and athleticism to carry rushers up the arc, guides pass rushers up the arc and around the pocket, recognizes stunts and blitzes, unbothered by Bralen Trice (2022) in pass pro, works inside out in pass pro when facing multiple threats, keeps legs churning as a downhill run blocker, good use of angles as a run blocker, strong enough to seal defenders, core and upper body strength to twist or torque linemen out of gaps, quick to disengage and redirect to another block, good open field speed, athletic ability to reach the second level and pick off defenders

Cons: Committed six penalties in 2021 and 2022, only has significant experience at left tackle, light and lean for a tackle, looks more like a big tight end than an NFL tackle, arm length is questionable, hips show some tightness, sometimes drops head in pass pro, poor balance frequently leads to him missing blocks, speed to power drives him backward, occasionally oversets and opens the B-gap, lateral agility to quickly redirect in pass pro is surprisingly limited, Jeremiah Martin (2022) easily outreached him and walked him back with power, Martin drove him back with power and lifted him out of his stance, Martin also beat him with cross chops and a spin move, struggles to move stout linemen off the line of scrimmage, knocked backward at the point of attack, sudden contact can derail his trajectory, sometimes gets over his skis and lunges when climbing or pulling, doesn’t make consistent contact with his assignment in the run game allowing linemen to penetrate the backfield, lunges and leans in the run game

Overview: Gray enters 2023 with 33 consecutive starts, all at left tackle. He will likely transition to guard in the NFL because of concerns about his size and arm length. Gray has room on his frame to add mass, but teams will wonder if adding 15 or 20 pounds will dramatically decrease his mobility and athleticism. Gray is light and lean for an offensive lineman. He looks more like a big tight end than a small tackle. The redshirt junior is a high motor player who excels at getting downhill in the run game in Oregon State’s scheme. He churns his legs while engaging defenders and uses angles as a blocker well. Gray uses his core and upper body strength to seal defenders out of running lanes. He is quick to disengage and redirect to another block and shows good open field speed. The California native’s athletic ability allows him to reach the second level and pick off defenders. However, he struggles to move stout linemen off the line of scrimmage. Sudden contact can derail Gray’s trajectory or knock him back at the point of attack. He tends to get over his skis and lunge when climbing to the second level. Playing with poor balance, ducking his head, and lunging are all themes on Gray’s tape in both the run and pass game. He sometimes ducks his head or lunges right off the line of scrimmage, missing his run blocking assignment completely and allowing immediate penetration by the defense. In pass protection, Gray maintains knee bend throughout the rep and gets off the line with a quick initial step. His footspeed is impressive and allows him to carry defenders up the arc. The All-Pac-12 selection has a strong clamp that lets him attach to the defender at first contact and remain with them throughout the play. Gray recognizes stunts and blitzes and adjusts accordingly. He works inside-out in pass protection when facing multiple threats. Gray’s core strength helps him stand firm against some power rushes, but his anchor is inconsistent. While the left tackle handled Washington’s Bralen Trice with no difficulties in 2022, Trice’s teammate Jeremiah Martin beat Gray like a drum. He easily outreached the veteran tackle and walked him back to the quarterback. Martin’s power rush moves dominated Gray, which set the Huskie up for eventual wins with spin moves and cross chops. The difference in power between Martin and Gray highlights a significant flaw in the Oregon State standout’s draft profile.

Overall, Gray has excellent athleticism for an offensive lineman, but he plays with poor balance and needs a year in the weight room to reach NFL size. Gray should test well in the pre-draft process at his current weight and wow evaluators with his movement skills. Unfortunately, being that lean will cause problems against defenders with power rushes in their arsenals. Gray’s arm length will likely relegate him to guard duties.  

Role & Scheme Fit: Left guard in an inside or outside zone scheme

Round Projection: Mid Fifth to Mid Sixth

Size: 6'4", 305 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 06-15-23