2022 NFL Draft: Breece Hall Leads Preseason RB Rankings

4. Eric Gray, Tennessee/Oklahoma

No running back in the class might be in for a rise in the 2022 NFL Draft like Eric Gray could be. Gray transferred from Tennessee to Oklahoma for this season, and joining Lincoln Riley might be a decision that really pays off. He could easily top his 1,026 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns this fall.

Gray is a fun study. He is a one-cut back with very good explosion off of his plant foot. He gets downhill with urgency while still having good vision. Gray has shown flashes of manipulating second level defenders and getting them to commit downhill while quickly getting into a different gap for a big run. He’s a tough runner between the tackles and shows off very good contact balance, and has occasionally dragged defenders with him.

In the passing game, Gray shows off impressive natural hands and catches nearly everything thrown his way. He also is very good in pass protection, initiating well rather than receiving defenders and showing the ability to sustain blocks.

While he is a good prospect with exciting upside, Gray doesn’t have the long speed and never really had many explosive runs last fall. He doesn’t win to the corner when bouncing runs outside and is really stuck in one gear. Still, Gray is in for a big year in college football and has the traits to elevate his 2022 NFL Draft stock.

Grade: 2nd Round (46-64)