Oklahoma RB Gray leads off Day 3 NFL Draft haul
NEW YORK — Giants GM Joe Schoen picked elusive, pass-catching Oklahoma running back Eric Gray on the final day of the NFL Draft to add another weapon to Brian Daboll’s offense.
The Giants used their No. 172 overall pick in the fifth round on Gray to supplement a backfield that for now is missing Saquon Barkley.
Barkley is unhappy with his contract situation, hasn’t signed his franchise tag tender and is staying away from the team facility.
Gray, 23, a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior, is a shifty runner who often makes the first defender miss and an accomplished route-runner and pass catcher out of the backfield.
His ability as a receiver is the X-factor addition to the Giants’ rotation that also includes Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and Jashaun Corbin.
“One just having natural hands to catch, being able to route run,” Gray said. “Me personally, I have a good feel for knowing coverages coming out of the backfield, knowing if it’s man, zone, if I need to break it this way; setting crisp routes and getting to my depth. I’ve been blessed to be a pretty good route runner out of the backfield.”
Gray had a private workout early in the draft process with new Giants running backs coach Jeff Nixon that led to Saturday’s selection.
The transfer from Tennessee had a big year in 2022, carrying the ball 213 times for 1,366 yards and 11 touchdowns, and catching
Oklahoma running back Eric Gray catches a pass during a college football pro day on March 30 in Norman, Okla.
33 passes for 229 yards.
He was only clocked running a 4.62 40-yard dash at his pro day, and he had five fumbles in his college career. But his elusiveness and vision and pass-catching make him a weapon for Daniel Jones.
Gray is joining his former Tennessee teammate Jalin Hyatt on the Giants, too: he played with the wide receiver with the Volunteers before transferring.
The Giants added more depth to the defensive backfield in the sixth round, selecting Old Dominion cornerback Tre Hawkins III with the 209th overall pick.
Friday night recap
The Giants may finally have found a deep-threat receiver and a center for quarterback Daniel Jones, taking John Michael Schmitz and speedy wide out Jalin Hyatt in the second and third rounds on Friday night.
The Giants grabbed Schmitz of Minnesota in the second round and then traded up to No. 73 overall in the third round to take Hyatt, the speedster from Tennessee who caught 15 touchdowns this past season, including an SEC-record five against Alabama.
While the selection of Schmitz makes up for losing centers Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates in free agency, the Giants are hoping Hyatt turns out to be their first big-play receiver since Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz before him.
The 6-foot Hyatt had 11 catches of 40-plus yards, seven of 50-plus and five of 60-plus last season, all tops in major college football.
“I feel like I’m probably the best deep threat receiver in the draft,” said Hyatt, who runs a 4.4 second 40-yard dash. “I really do believe that. You know, the Giants really got a playmaker. They got a dynamic playmaker, an explosive playmaker and that’s what I want to bring to the team.”
In moving up to get Hyatt, the Giants gave the Los Angeles Rams their third and fourth-round selections.
Hyatt had been projected to be taken no later than the middle of the second round so New York may have gotten a steal.
The 24-year-old Schmitz played five seasons with the Golden Gophers of the Big Ten, starting his final 35 games.
New York selected Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks in the first round with the 24th pick overall.