Cedric Gray Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Nell Redmond/USA Today Sports)

School: North Carolina

Class: Senior

Position: LB

HT: 6’2

WT: 235 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #43

Background: Cedric Gray was a highly recruited 4-star linebacker out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Gray played his high school football at Ardrey Kell High School and led them to become a force during his time there. He was a 3-year team captain for Ardrey Kell and played both sides of the ball. As a two-year defensive starter, he tallied 130 tackles. While being a stud at the linebacker position, he was also a key contributor on offense for just as long. He was able to rack up over 2,000 yards receiving throughout his career. Being a North Carolina kid, Gray’s recruitment was never up for debate, he was always going to North Carolina.

College: He appeared in every game as a freshman, mainly on special teams, as his role wasn’t completely carved out on the defense. In 2021, he started the last 11 games of the season and was 4th in the ACC in tackles, with 100. 2022 was even more of a breakout season for the junior. He was able to be named as a First Team All-ACC selection and was even nominated to All-American teams by a few different outlets. Cedric was once again a First Team All-ACC selection in 2023. Additionally, he was a Butkus Award Semifinalist after tallying an impressive 121 tackles.

Strengths: Cedric Gray is a weak side linebacker who excels in coverage. He has an elite ability to cover tight ends and shallow crossers in the intermediate area of the field. He is a rangy player in man coverage and has natural pass coverage instincts. He reads the quarterback's eyes well while also sticking to the inside hip of his man. In zone coverage, he stays near the hash marks at the second area of the defense. His range allows him to clog up multiple lanes and patrol more space than the average linebacker in coverage. Additionally, Gray is a stout and strong linebacker who packs a punch with every tackle. At the point of attack, Gray will always be more physical than his opponent. He is explosive out of his stance, showing in both run defending and as a blitzer. He fires himself into the backfield and can penetrate any gap. While he is eager to get into the backfield and make a play, he channels it properly and hardly ever becomes overeager to his own detriment. Gray has quick twitch athleticism which allows him to be very reactionary to the offense in front of him.

Weaknesses: While Gray is a strong weak side linebacker, he is not an effective pass rusher. He struggles to shed blocks and can even be taken off his rush by a single chip block. In coverage, Gray is athletic and quick, but he does not have desirable straight line speed. If the offense goes into motion and he takes on slot receivers, he gets lost in the shuffle. When tracking down the ball carrier, Gray can be seen taking poor routes to the ball, getting there even a fraction too late, and trying to make a sidearm tackle.

Conclusion: Cedric Gray is oozing with talent, it just needs to be polished in some areas more than others. If he can more effectively use the tools he has, he will be a star in the NFL.

Scheme Fit: 4-3 Zone

Ideal Role: Weakside LB

Best Team Fits: HOU, DAL, IND

Player Comparison: Matt Milano

Player Grade: 84.1