Eric Gray (American football) explained

Eric Gray
Current Team:New York Giants
Number:20
Position:Running back
Birth Date:4 November 1999
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:210
High School:Lausanne Collegiate School
(Memphis, Tennessee)
College:Tennessee (2019–2020)
Oklahoma (2021–2022)
Draftyear:2023
Draftround:5
Draftpick:172
Pastteams:
Status:Active
Highlights:
Statleague:NFL
Statseason:2023
Statlabel1:Rushing attempts
Statvalue1:17
Statlabel2:Rushing yards
Statvalue2:48
Statlabel3:Rushing touchdowns
Statlabel4:Receptions
Statvalue4:6
Statlabel5:Receiving yards
Statvalue5:22
Statlabel6:Receiving touchdowns
Statlabel7:Return yards
Statvalue7:86
Pfr:GrayEr01

Eric DeWayne Gray (born November 4, 1999) is an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Early years

Gray grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and attended Lausanne Collegiate School. He was named Tennessee Mr. Football after rushing for 2,251 yards and 38 touchdowns in his sophomore season. As a junior, Gray rushed for 3,151 yards and 45 touchdowns and was selected the Tennessee Gatorade Football Player of the Year and repeated as Tennessee Mr. Football. In his sophomore and junior year, he won the Tennessee High School Championship. Rated a four-star recruit, he initially committed to play college football at Michigan during the summer going into his senior year.[1] He was named the Gatorade Football Player of the Year a second time and Mr. Football for a third straight season as a senior.[2] Towards the end of his senior season, Gray decommitted from Michigan and reopened his recruitment.[3] He ultimately committed to play at Tennessee a few weeks later.[4]

College career

As a true freshman, Gray gained 539 yards and scored four touchdowns on 101 carries and caught 13 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.[5] [6] He rushed for 246 yards, a school record for a freshman, and three touchdowns in the Volunteers final regular season game against Vanderbilt and was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week.[7] Gray lead Tennessee with 772 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 157 attempts and also gained 254 yards and scored two touchdowns on 30 receptions.[8] In January 2021, Gray announced that he was entering the transfer portal.[9]

Gray chose to transfer to the University of Oklahoma.[10] In the 2021 season, Gray had 78 carries for 412 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with 23 receptions for 229 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.[11] In the 2022 season, Gray took over the Sooners' backfield.[12] On November 12 against West Virginia, he had 25 carries for 211 yards and two touchdowns in the road loss.[13] In the 2022 season, Gray had 213 carries for 1,366 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns to go with 33 receptions for 229 receiving yards. He had eight games on the season going over 100 rushing yards and four with two rushing touchdowns.[14]

Professional career

Gray was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round, 172nd overall, of the 2023 NFL draft.[15] He was placed on injured reserve on October 25, 2023.[16] He was activated on November 25.

As a rookie, Gray appeared in 13 games. He had a small role on the offense to go with occasional kickoff and punt return duties.[17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sang . Orion . July 1, 2018 . Michigan football gets commitment from 4-star running back Eric Gray . January 22, 2021 . Detroit Free Press.
  2. Web site: Kreager . Tom . December 6, 2018 . Lausanne's Eric Gray named Tennessee Gatorade football player of year . January 22, 2021 . The Commercial Appeal.
  3. Web site: McMahon . Eric . December 1, 2018 . 4-star RB Eric Gray pulls commitment to Michigan . January 22, 2021 . MLive.com.
  4. Web site: Thompson . Khari . December 20, 2018 . UT Vols football recruiting: Eric Gray picks Tennessee . January 22, 2021 . The Commercial Appeal.
  5. Web site: Paschall . David . August 20, 2020 . Vols' Eric Gray would love to be first 1000-yard rusher in 10 years . January 22, 2021 . Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  6. Web site: Paschall . David . December 1, 2020 . Tennessee's Eric Gray on a 1,000-yard season: 'I think about that all the time' . January 22, 2021 . Chattanooga Times Free Press.
  7. Web site: Torres . Aaron . November 30, 2019 . Eric Gray sets UT freshman rushing record . January 22, 2021 . Knoxville News Sentinel.
  8. Web site: Wilson . Mike . January 21, 2021 . Eric Gray, Tennessee football's top running back, enters transfer portal . January 22, 2021 . Knoxville News Sentinel.
  9. Web site: Brown . Patrick . January 20, 2021 . Tennessee star RB Eric Gray enters NCAA transfer portal . January 22, 2021 . 247Sports.
  10. Web site: Rittenberg . Adam . January 27, 2021 . Ex-Tennessee running back Eric Gray heading to Oklahoma as transfer . January 31, 2021 . ESPN.com.
  11. Web site: Eric Gray 2021 Game Log . January 15, 2024 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
  12. Web site: 2022 Oklahoma Sooners Stats . January 15, 2024 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
  13. Web site: Oklahoma at West Virginia Box Score, November 12, 2022 . January 15, 2024 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
  14. Web site: Eric Gray 2022 Game Log . January 15, 2024 . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . en.
  15. Web site: April 29, 2023 . Giants draft Oklahoma RB Eric Gray with 172nd pick . May 11, 2023 . Giants.com.
  16. Web site: Eisen . Michael . October 25, 2023 . Giants add 2 RBs; Eric Gray, Matt Peart to IR . January 14, 2024 . Giants.com.
  17. Web site: Eric Gray 2023 Game Log . January 15, 2024 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.