BULLDOG BIO: Donald Gray The best case
Arguably no Mississippi State player is under more pressure this season than Donald Gray. Entering his senior year, the wide receiver will be expected to be the torch bearer for MSU's wideouts following Fred Ross' departure.
Gray has established a resume with the Bulldogs that shows he is more than capable of filling Ross' shoes, but now, he'll have to prove he can indeed do just that.
What we know
Gray is unquestionably a playmaker. If the football is anywhere in his vicinity, the 5-foot10, 204-pounder is likely to catch it. He has made several of the most spectacular receptions the Bulldogs have had the last couple of seasons.
The secret to Gray's success is the strongest hands on the football team. Gray routinely wins a gripstrength contest against his teammates in which players repeatedly squeeze and pick up large amounts of weight.
The Bulldogs hope those hands are strong enough to make superb catch after catch in 2017.
What we don't know
Gray hasn't had to be the focal point of MSU's receivers since he got to campus prior to the 2015 season. In 2015, De'Runnya Wilson carried that banner. Last year, it was Ross.
Now it's Gray's turn. With a hard-working personality, Gray will more than likely be up for the challenge, but that is still an unknown.
More defenses will likely gear up to slow down Gray now. Then, there's the leadership factor. The Bulldogs have several talented young receivers who will look to Gray's guidance.
It's easy to guess that Gray will do just fine at all those challenges, but he'll have to prove it.
Notable
Gray has already caught 62 total passes for 1,095 yards and seven touchdowns in his MSU career. Perhaps the most amazing stat though is that he averages 17.7 yards per catch.
Maybe Gray's success shouldn't come as much of a surprise though. He had a pretty good example to look to. Growing up, Gray's favorite NFL player was now-Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter.
The best case for Gray and the Bulldogs is for him to fit into his slightly increased role like a hand fitting perfectly into a glove. He should have every opportunity to do just that.
Ross caught 72 passes last season. Now that he is out of the picture, all those targets have to go elsewhere and Gray stands to gain most of them.
Luckily, Gray doesn't have to have all the pressure on his shoulders. MSU boasts a talented unit of receivers. The Bulldogs just need Gray to be a consistent threat all season long. He's been doing that for two years now, he just has to do it now with a little more attention from opposing defenses. If he can do that, MSU would likely be perfectly happy.
The worst case
Sometimes pressure can get to players. They think they have to do something differently than they've been doing. Just about any wide receiver will tell you one of the worst things that can happen is when they try to think too much.
If Gray is somehow burdened by heightened expectations and it gets in his head, drops and a lack of production would assuredly follow.
Gray seemingly has the makeup to avoid such a pitfall, but it's a situation where no one will know for sure until he handles his business.
(Editor’s Note: Leading up to the start of Mississippi State football training camp on July 25, the Starkville Daily News will take a look at several of the key pieces for the 2017 Bulldogs. Today, the SDN profiles MSU wide receiver Donald Gray.)