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The New York Giants selected Eric Gray with the 172nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He will obviously sit behind Saquon Barkley in his rookie year, provided that Barkley plays under his franchise tag. Gray, if he impresses, could be the future starter, but the presence of a healthy Barkley caps his upside in the offense.
Oklahoma Sooners running back Eric Gray will take his talents to the next level after a productive college football career that started with the Tennessee Volunteers. He saved his best year for last with career highs in just about everything in 2022.
Gray rushed for 1,366 yards on 6.4 yards per carry with 213 rushing attempts and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 33 passes for 229 yards in the passing game.
Eric Gray: Scouting Report
Gray’s traits translate well to the NFL level after a four-year college career with the skill set to be a three-down back wherever he lands. He has a strong burst to get into the second level of the defense and is aggressive in hitting the holes available. NFL teams will love his cutting ability as he’s been able to elude defenders at a high level.
While he does plenty of things well, Gray doesn’t have the speed of other running backs in this draft class, and finishing through contact is an area that franchises would like to see him improve.
Mock Draft landing spots
Gray is projected to head to the Chargers in Round 4 at CBS, and The Athletic projects the same. At NFL.com, Gray goes to the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth.
Fantasy football implications
There’s no reason Gray wouldn’t get off to a strong start to his NFL career if he was given an opportunity, so it’ll be interesting to see where he lands. Gray is talented in plenty of areas at the running back position that teams love, so he should be in a strong position to get early work with the ability to play all three downs.
The Chiefs just got a gem in Isiah Pacheco last year, and Gray could work in as a versatile, all-downs back with KC if Mahomes’ ankle injury continues to limit him this year. With trade rumors surrounding Austin Ekeler, the Chargers’ RB depth chart could be shifting and Gray could find some openings in the backfield there. While he isn’t a fantasy points guarantee, he could be an interesting pickup later in the season if he shows early flashes in either spot.