Danny Gray NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for San Francisco 49ers' WR

HEIGHT: 5'11 7/8"

WEIGHT: 186

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 31 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'4 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.33

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 34"

BROAD: 10'6"

POSITIVES

— Very good speed. Separates down the field consistently; has another gear with the ball in his hands.

— Twitched up. Shows moments of great explosion out of breaks and as a ball-carrier.

— Natural ball-carrier with great all-around movement skills. Will be a YAC threat.

— Excellent flashes of tracking the ball and making difficult catches.

NEGATIVES

— Not as physical in his routes as he could be.

— Route running can be too loose. Will need to be more precise and crafty in the league.

— Route tree will likely be limited to vertical routes and quick-hitting YAC routes out of the gate.

— Catching technique is inconsistent. Lets the ball into his frame too often.

2021 STATISTICS

10 G, 49 REC, 803 YDS (16.4 AVG), 9 TD

OVERALL

Danny Gray may need time to acclimate to the NFL, but his explosiveness and speed are easy to get excited about.

Gray, sporting a fair build at 6'0" and 186 pounds, wins primarily with speed. He jumps out of his stance at the line of scrimmage and builds up to top speed in a hurry. During his time at SMU, he regularly separated from cornerbacks on go routes and posts.

Better yet, Gray seems to find another gear once the ball is in his hands. He does well to transition himself from pass-catcher to ball-carrier and quickly bursts to top speed, allowing him to turn mundane receptions into explosive plays from time to time. He has enough wiggle and burst to make defenders miss in one-on-one situations as well.

At this stage, Gray is not a complete receiver yet. Though he's excellent as a field-stretcher and underneath yards-after-catch weapon, his route tree to the intermediate area and middle of the field is lacking.

Gray often takes too long settling into his breaks, making it difficult for him to separate consistently despite his explosiveness. He also lacks the physicality at the top of his routes to keep cornerbacks off balance, an issue he faces at the line of scrimmage as well. Gray has the movement skills to develop into a complete route-runner, but it will take time.

As far as hands go, Gray is a mixed bag. On a down-to-down basis, he can be frustrating. Gray has a habit of letting the ball into his frame rather than attacking it, especially when contested over the middle. However, he shows moments of finding the ball down the field and contorting his body to make superb catches. If Gray can tap into that side of his game more often, he could be a real threat.

Gray's speed and explosive potential are exciting. He is dangerous both with and without the ball, and he theoretically has the size and movement skills to develop into a complete receiver. However, Gray will need to expand and refine his skills as a route-runner and pass-catcher. He projects best as a speed threat from the outside off the bench while he works to clean up the rest of his game.

GRADE: 6.1 (High-level Developmental Prospect - 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 209

POSITION RANK: WR30

PRO COMPARISON: Tre Nixon

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen