2019 recruiting
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eric gray

Hello: Eric Gray Comment Count

Ace

Michigan didn't have a 2019 running back commit two weeks ago. Now they boast one of the best duos in the country in Zach Charbonnet and their newest pledge, four-star Memphis (TN) Lausanne Collegiate School all-purpose back Eric Gray, who committed via video this evening:

Gray, already one of the most decorated high school football players in Tennessee history, chose the Wolverines from a final five that also included Alabama, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Texas A&M. While late to the commitapalooza, he was on campus last weekend for the final visit of a string of trips to each of his finalists before heading off to The Opening, where he's doing stuff like this:

Update: And this!

Seems like a solid get.

GURU RATINGS

Rivals ESPN 247 247 Comp
3*, 5.6, #9 APB,
#21 TN		 4*, 81, #17 RB,
#11 TN, #275 Ovr		 4*, 95, #1 APB,
#3 TN, #95 Ovr		 4*, #3 APB,
#10 TN, #175 Ovr

There's quite a spread. Rivals, despite having Gray in top camp performer articles when he was an eighth grader, ranks him by far the lowest. Both ESPN and 247 consider him a prospect worthy of their top lists, with the latter especially bullish on him.

Gray is listed at 5'10", 191. He's in the Chris Evans mold; a smaller, versatile back who can run between the tackles or make an impact as a receiver from multiple spots on the field.

[Hit THE JUMP for scouting, video, and the rest.]

SCOUTING

Let's start with Gray's astonishing high school career thus far. He could sit out his senior season and still be one of the most accomplished players in Tennessee history:

It's hard to win back-to-back TSSAA state championships. It's almost as difficult to capture back-to-back Mr. Football awards.

Eric Gray of Memphis has done both.

The Lausanne Collegiate (Tenn.) High School running back even has the opportunity to accomplish those feats a third time as he has another year of eligibility remaining before it's on to college.

In 2017, the 247Sports No. 1-ranked all-purpose back in the state of Tennessee's 2019 class ran for 3,151 yards on 323 carries (9.8 yards/attempt) with 45 touchdowns. He also was second with the Lynx in receiving yards (268) on just 11 receptions to go with three more TDs.

I'll circle back to specifics in a bit.

First, Gray hit the recruiting radar before he set foot in high school. Playing wide receiver, he earned the third spot on Rivals' list of top performers at the 2015(!) Nashville Pylon 7-on-7 event:

Just an eighth grader, Gray has solid size. He combines his lean frame with incredible agility. He made one of the day's best plays on a jump ball in the end zone and showed an ability to make difficult grabs in traffic. He isn't the most explosive wideout, but he moves smoothly and catches most balls thrown his way. Gray has a ton of potential and could see offers arrive down the road.

He made another Rivals top performer list at an IMG 7-on-7 camp that featured several high-profile older prospects, including one Shea Patterson. Gray held an offer from Mississippi State by then.

Gray led Lausanne to an undefeated season and the TSSAA Division II Class A state title as a sophomore, accounting for 175 yards and the team's two touchdowns in the championship game. Then he hit the camp circuit, getting Alpha Dog status from 247's Barton Simmons at Mike Vick's Nashville 7-on-7 Showcase:

Amid a talented roster, 2019 running back Eric Gray was on a different level from my viewpoint. The Memphis (Tenn.) Lausanne back was fantastic in Cat & Mouse drills while maintaining some football functionality. He showed burst, change of direction and instincts. He also showed out as a receiver, displaying pure hands and advanced route-running for a back. He's a member of the Top247 for the class of 2019 but his ranking will continue to rise after this showing.

He also hit a number of team camps, including Michigan's elite camp, where he connected with his future YMRMFSPA, per The Wolverine's Austin Fox:

“I really like what this coaching staff is doing here,” Gray said. “I like the offense they run, because that was my main thing – trying to see if it would be a fit for me. I was talking to their running back #12 [sophomore Chris Evans] out here, and he was saying he’s the exact type of running back that I am.”

Evans was one of the first comps that came to mind for me when watching Gray's highlights; they have similar builds and running styles, right down to the subtle half-jukes that can make defenders look silly without losing much speed.

Gray somehow took his production to an even higher level in his junior season, culminating in a second straight state title and an amazing championship game performance:

The junior ran wild on Notre Dame in the Division II Class AA state final Saturday afternoon. Gray weaved through traffic and outran defensive backs with consistency, posting five touchdown runs (39, 35, 18, 12, 44). With his help, the Lynx walked away victorious 41-13 for their second straight gold ball.

Gray averaged 11.2 yards per carry, gaining 281 yards on 25 attempts.

Oddly, there isn't a scouting report I can specifically date to his junior season. Gray's ESPN profile features an undated underclassman eval:

STRENGTHS: Highly productive back, built low to the ground with a strong base and well-balanced. Quick to get through the small creases. Doesn't take a lot of wasted cuts, quick, decisive and shows good burst out of his cuts. ... AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT: Not overly sudden/elusive through his hips or out in space. Good speed not elite top-end ... BOTTOM LINE: Lacks some play-maker elements but is consistently productive and doesn't leave many yards on the field. Running style that should transfer well to college.

Given Gray's testing numbers—good, not great—this seems like a fair assessment, albeit one that doesn't mention Gray's evident receiving upside. I think he's a little more elusive than they do.

OFFERS

Again, Gray picked Michigan over fellow finalists Alabama, Ole Miss, Penn State, and Texas A&M; he also holds offers from Arkansas, Louisville, LSU, Miami (YTM), Nebraska, Stanford, Tennessee, Baylor, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Memphis, Minnesota, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and West Virginia, among others.

A notable omission: Ohio State, where Gray's uncle, Maurice Hall, played RB in the early 2000s. Gray mentioned wanting that offer several times in early interviews; expect to hear about that in a future sideline report if Gray sees the field in The Game.

HIGH SCHOOL

Despite their recent championship success, Lausanne is more known for its academics than its football prospects; Gray is the only recruit from the program to earn even a three-star rating on Rivals.

STATS

Absurd.

Freshman (in four varsity games): 69 rushes, 322 yards (4.7 YPC), 1 TD, 3 fumbles (1 lost); 6 receptions, 66 yards (11 YPC); 2 interceptions (1 TD), 2 pass breakups; 2 kick returns, 65 yards.

Sophomore (14 games): 230 rushes, 2215 yards (9.6 YPC), 38 TDs, 4 fumbles (2 lost); 10 receptions, 219 yards (21.9 YPC), 4 TDs; 11 punt returns, 144 yards (13.1 YPR).

Junior (13 games): 323 carries, 3151 yards (9.8 YPC), 45 TDs, 5 fumbles (2 lost); 11 receptions, 268 yards (24.4 YPC), 3 TDs; 3 punt returns, 82 yards (27.3 YPR), 1 TD.

I repeat, three-thousand-one-hundred-fifty-one rushing yards. In one season. 

FAKE 40 TIME

Gray has a combine-verified time of 4.57 seconds, which gets zero FAKEs out of five. That's in line with the reports that his speed is good but short of elite. 

VIDEO

Junior highlights:

Single-game reel with awestruck commentators:

Sophomore highlights and single-game reels can be found on his Hudl page.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

Will be the Evans to Charbonnet's Higdon if/when those two break through. Michigan has a fair amount of as-yet-unproven talent in the classes preceding the 2019 duo—O'Maury Samuels, Kurt Taylor, Christian Turner, Hassan Haskins, and Michael Barrett—but they may have the most talent of the bunch, and running back is a spot where that translates early. 

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

There's more action to come tomorrow, so we'll have more detail on the class as a whole after the dust settles. That said, Michigan should be very much set at running back with Charbonnet and Gray—with one potential exception. Five-star NC prospect Quavaris Couch could play running back, linebacker, or both in college, and Steve Lorenz reports Michigan is pitching him as a two-way player and may even hold a slight lead for him over Tennessee.

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