STrib: Playing QB in NFL is goal for Gophers' Gray

[BleedGopher]

INDIANAPOLIS - Gophers quarterback MarQueis Gray will go through athletic testing and drill work Sunday at the NFL combine. Gray is expecting to have a decent showing as a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder with eye-catching athleticism and versatility.

Still, whether he can find his niche at the next level remains a major question. Gray will work out Sunday with the quarterbacks and still is expressing confidence that the increasing popularity of dual-threat signal-callers capable of running the read option will enhance his stock.

"The league is changing constantly," Gray said Saturday. "You see it with RG3 [Robert Griffin III], Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick. It's shown to be pretty effective. All those guys are taking that scheme to the next level."

Two weeks ago, however, Gray was asked to play tight end at the Texas vs. the Nation collegiate all-star game in Allen, Texas. He also revealed plans to participate in both receiving and quarterbacking drills at Minnesota's March 4 pro day.

Gray realizes that his chance of making it as an NFL quarterback requires him to show dramatic improvement with his throwing accuracy.

"All the scouts say I have a real strong arm," he said. "So there's not much I can change except for getting more accurate. Whether that's just settling down in the pocket or getting my feet under me, there's a lot I can work on."

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/192770651.html

Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

PiPress: Former Gopher MarQueis Gray tries to stay at quarterback

Gray's size and mobility could make him an interesting option for teams looking to adopt some elements of the read-option schemes that helped the 49ers, Redskins and Seahawks all reach the playoffs in 2012. The Eagles could also run that offense in 2013, with former University of Oregon coach Chip Kelly taking over there. And Gray said he has talked in the past with both Vikings quarterbacks coach Craig Johnson and wide receivers coach George Stewart.

"I believe it helped out a lot," Gray said of the read option. "Once teams saw how I was able to run, with my size and how powerful I was, I hope it opened up a couple eyes."

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/ci_22654457/former-gopher-marqueis-gray-tries-stay-at-quarterback

Go Gophers!!

 

[MNVCGUY]

I hope he finds a way to stick in the NFL but I will be shocked if it is at QB. QB has never felt like his natural position, to me he always came across as a great athlete playing QB as opposed to a great QB that was also a great athlete.

Maybe a team that has a drop back passer but wants to incorporate some read option would have some interest in Gray for that reason but he doesn't strike me as an NFL caliber guy at the QB position. Will be interesting to watch though because with his size/speed combo the scouts will try and find a place for him at the next level, hopefully it works out for him whatever his final role ends up being.

 

[littlebigboy]

QB is a dream, he can't pass, sorry MG.

 

[bamor5229]

He has the combine scouts fooled so far..

QB is a dream, he can't pass, sorry MG.

He has the combine scouts fooled so far..

MarQueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray initially was pegged for a position change by NFL scouts, but that opinion will be revisited after his combine performance. The strong-armed passer displayed uncanny accuracy on all his throws. Receivers were not forced to work hard to make catches; Gray placed the ball nicely in their hands. Gray had a few errant tosses but delivered much more than expected during his workout. The original plan of moving Gray from quarterback to tight end may be placed on hold for a while.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...gs-geno-smith-ej-manuel-mike-glennon/1943333/

 

[mapleleaffan5]

Marqueis Gray draft stock

What round will Gray get taken... (or will he?) and what position do you think he gets drafted for?

 

[BleedGopher]

CBS lists the top 25 draft prospects at each position and Gray is not listed in either the QB or TE list:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/QB

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/TE

Go Gophers!!

 

[50PoundHead]

CBS lists the top 25 draft prospects at each position and Gray is not listed in either the QB or TE list:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/QB

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2013/TE

Go Gophers!!

CBS has him ranked #51 at WR, 10 slots below where they have the last projected 7th rounder.

It will be interesting to see how Gray fares moving forward. I think he's enough of an athlete to arch a few scouts' eyebrows and I still think that gets him drafted. I think his problem is that his athletic ability hasn't translated into skill development and that might get you to camp, but it won't get you consistently playing on Sundays.

I don't think anyone with eyes could question Gray's arm strength. His footwork and release need work, which would improve his accuracy. My guess is working out with someone who concentrates on helping develop pro-centric skills can iron some of these things out. Iron them out enough? Call me the day after the draft.

Put me in the group that thinks Gray will get drafted (6th or 7th round) and it will all be about potential. The thing in Gray's favor is that while the read-option may be the flavor of the month, it's the flavor this month. He's not as dynamic as E.J. Manuel, but he's in that ballpark. Manuel's advantage is that he's stayed healthy and has always been under center.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

This reminds me a lot of Tebow. He knew he had bad mechanics and he worked with coaches and... still isn't anywhere near NFL quality. He is around simply because of what was given up to get him. Gray will not have that luxury (though he may have the luxury of the practice squad, which Tebow never will). But if he isn't showing drastic improvement after a year he'll be out of the league.

It would be much better for him to go to a team that wants him to play WR/TE. He has way too far to go to be an adequate NFL QB. He has much less far to go to become a reasonable WR/TE. Of course, no guarantee for either, but his chances are much better of having a career as a WR/TE than QB...

 

[RochesterGopher]

I think he will get drafted 6th or 7th round and will not make a team. I think he will be a practice squad QB to help teams prepare for teams that are running the zone read in the NFL (49ers, Seahawks, ect) If he keeps at it I can see him being brought up to main squad as a TE or mismatched big WR. Just my .02.

 

[paulser21]

He has the combine scouts fooled so far..

MarQueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray initially was pegged for a position change by NFL scouts, but that opinion will be revisited after his combine performance. The strong-armed passer displayed uncanny accuracy on all his throws. Receivers were not forced to work hard to make catches; Gray placed the ball nicely in their hands. Gray had a few errant tosses but delivered much more than expected during his workout. The original plan of moving Gray from quarterback to tight end may be placed on hold for a while.



http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...gs-geno-smith-ej-manuel-mike-glennon/1943333/

Get one guy rushing him and all that disappears.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

I don't agree with the Tiebow comparisons with Gray.

This reminds me a lot of Tebow. He knew he had bad mechanics and he worked with coaches and... still isn't anywhere near NFL quality. He is around simply because of what was given up to get him. Gray will not have that luxury (though he may have the luxury of the practice squad, which Tebow never will). But if he isn't showing drastic improvement after a year he'll be out of the league.

Tiebow has a whiffle ball arm.
Marquies Gray has a much stronger arm than Tim Tiebow, he is not as fast or as good a runner as Tiebow but he is a better passer. Gray's problem with accuracy is not arm strength related, if anything he get's to confident in his arm strength and too reliant on it. A witness to this would have been the throws he made in the Michigan game where he threw off his back foot. I grant that he was still dealing with his ankle issues, but the kid has always relied on a stong arm without improving his footwork.
This has always been his problem as a passer, if he would take the time to follow through to his front foot instead of throwing off his back heels as often as he does he would have been a more accurate and effective passer. That and his progressions, he needs to click through his reads quicker and be more decisive in his reads, his first instincts have always been to take off and run if his first read is not there and he, get's confused and does not like what he sees. When adversity hit's and the bleep hit's the fans you have to use your teamates to make plays and not always rely on yourself as often as he did. This might be the nature of the college program he was in, as he did not have enough athletes like himself, but he will have to be different in the PROS.

I have always thought Gray had the talent to play QB and he see's himself as a QB but he relys to much on his natural athletic ability. If he want's to be a QB he needs to put the time in, with footwork drills, throwing at targets for accuracy, and training himself to be decisive in his decision making. He has plenty of athletic talent to be a QB, but seems to lack something, to me it is decisiveness beyond taking off and running. His instincts have to improve to finding the open guy. I have to think many NFL scouts, think Gray might be a guy you take a shot on at QB, and you score big if it clicks for him. I still see him getting drafted because he has good enough wheels and the guy can break tackles and run people over at his size and as a later roung pick he will take a roster spot and work cheap which the NFL likes these days.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I think he will get drafted 6th or 7th round and will not make a team. I think he will be a practice squad QB to help teams prepare for teams that are running the zone read in the NFL (49ers, Seahawks, ect) If he keeps at it I can see him being brought up to main squad as a TE or mismatched big WR. Just my .02.

He will not get drafted. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nearly all draft picks make the team in this day and age. Best case he gets on a practice squad. Nothing against him. He just doesn't have a position at this point that he is worth a pick.

 

[MNVCGUY]

He will not get drafted. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nearly all draft picks make the team in this day and age. Best case he gets on a practice squad. Nothing against him. He just doesn't have a position at this point that he is worth a pick.

He may or may not make it in the long run but as long as he has a good pro day to backup what he did at the combine he absolutely will get drafted. Late round picks is where you bet on guys who may be raw but have potential. Gray fits well into that class and has great size/speed as well.

 

[50PoundHead]

I don't really see him as Tebow either. In fact, I think they have the exactly opposite problem. Tebow overstrides on his throws and Gray understrides. I'm no scout, but that's my observation. They both overthrow a lot of guys because Tebow's release point is all messed up. Gray seems to throw it like he's throwing darts. Doesn't seem to get full extension of his arm a lot. Tebow almost throws it like a baseball pitcher would (I'm not sure if Jedd Fisch had him throwing baseballs with Adam Weber or not).

 

[GoldenHerbs]

He will not get drafted. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nearly all draft picks make the team in this day and age. Best case he gets on a practice squad. Nothing against him. He just doesn't have a position at this point that he is worth a pick.

A few years ago the Vikings reached on their 5th rd pick taking Nate Triplett and he did not make the team, which is nearly unheard of for 5th rd picks.

 

[GophersInIowa]

He will not get drafted. Correct me if I'm wrong, but nearly all draft picks make the team in this day and age. Best case he gets on a practice squad. Nothing against him. He just doesn't have a position at this point that he is worth a pick.

The Vikings have cut several of their late round guys the past few years. There's a bunch that have never seen the field as well.

I think someone will take a chance on him just because he could potentially play several different positions. I think teams are willing to take bigger chances in the 6th and 7th rounds, especially if you have a bunch of late picks.

 

[paulser21]

All these coaches have to do is pop in Gray's game film and they will get a pretty good grasp of what he is all about. An extremely athletic individual, you are damn right. But by popping in the week one game film they will see a quarterback that cannot hit a moving target in a game. How many open recievers did he miss during that UNLV game? He may have had a good combine throwing (I still haven't seen the coverage) but when he has defenders lining up against him he is terrible.

 

[gopher1more]

Do you give him any credit for growth and development? You treat him As if he and his ability is static.

 

[Lakeville Goldy]

Do you give him any credit for growth and development? You treat him As if he and his ability is static.

Do you think every other QB is static? That he will magically improve 1000X more than any other QB in college football?

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

Based on MG's limited combine scores, he's looked at as a guy on the back end of rounds 4-7. Which comes as no surprise to any of us here, or probably even Gray himself.
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/marqueis-gray?id=2540259

I was a little surprised at his 40 time (4.73), I figured he'd be in the 4.60 to 4.68 range.

Hoping that Gray's versatility, athleticism, maturity, and charisma can land him a late draft position. Not a bad guy to have on the team if he can act as your 3rd or emergency QB and also show up on the depth chart as a TE/H-back.

 

[Sportsfan24]

Based on MG's limited combine scores, he's looked at as a guy on the back end of rounds 4-7. Which comes as no surprise to any of us here, or probably even Gray himself.
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/marqueis-gray?id=2540259

I was a little surprised at his 40 time (4.73), I figured he'd be in the 4.60 to 4.68 range.

Hoping that Gray's versatility, athleticism, maturity, and charisma can land him a late draft position. Not a bad guy to have on the team if he can act as your 3rd or emergency QB and also show up on the depth chart as a TE/H-back.

The 40 time did not surprise me one bit. I agree with you 100 percent on the rest. If given the opportunity Gray can be of many uses to a NFL franchise. If I were his agent I would tell him to make himself availible for every special team unit (blocker, gunner...whatever). He should not want or need to be evaluated strictly as a QB.

 

[STPGopher]

This reminds me a lot of Tebow. He knew he had bad mechanics and he worked with coaches and... still isn't anywhere near NFL quality. He is around simply because of what was given up to get him. Gray will not have that luxury (though he may have the luxury of the practice squad, which Tebow never will). But if he isn't showing drastic improvement after a year he'll be out of the league.

Tiebow has a whiffle ball arm.
Marquies Gray has a much stronger arm than Tim Tiebow, he is not as fast or as good a runner as Tiebow but he is a better passer. Gray's problem with accuracy is not arm strength related, if anything he get's to confident in his arm strength and too reliant on it. A witness to this would have been the throws he made in the Michigan game where he threw off his back foot. I grant that he was still dealing with his ankle issues, but the kid has always relied on a stong arm without improving his footwork.
This has always been his problem as a passer, if he would take the time to follow through to his front foot instead of throwing off his back heels as often as he does he would have been a more accurate and effective passer. That and his progressions, he needs to click through his reads quicker and be more decisive in his reads, his first instincts have always been to take off and run if his first read is not there and he, get's confused and does not like what he sees. When adversity hit's and the bleep hit's the fans you have to use your teamates to make plays and not always rely on yourself as often as he did. This might be the nature of the college program he was in, as he did not have enough athletes like himself, but he will have to be different in the PROS.

I have always thought Gray had the talent to play QB and he see's himself as a QB but he relys to much on his natural athletic ability. If he want's to be a QB he needs to put the time in, with footwork drills, throwing at targets for accuracy, and training himself to be decisive in his decision making. He has plenty of athletic talent to be a QB, but seems to lack something, to me it is decisiveness beyond taking off and running. His instincts have to improve to finding the open guy. I have to think many NFL scouts, think Gray might be a guy you take a shot on at QB, and you score big if it clicks for him. I still see him getting drafted because he has good enough wheels and the guy can break tackles and run people over at his size and as a later roung pick he will take a roster spot and work cheap which the NFL likes these days.

(for the most part) +1 No real longterm coaching at the QB position adds to relying on natural ability too much. I could see him growing leaps and bounds in the right situation. Here's to Mr. Gray proving doubters wrong like he has all along.

 

[gopherdudepart2]

Marquies Gray should take his shot at QB, it's the position he is most experienced at

(for the most part) +1 No real longterm coaching at the QB position adds to relying on natural ability too much. I could see him growing leaps and bounds in the right situation. Here's to Mr. Gray proving doubters wrong like he has all along.

I agree that the constant change at QB coach and the move to WR hurt his development at QB. I also agree with the poster that made the observation that at times he threw the ball like throwing a dart, trying to guide the ball to an exact target location and with bad footwork the ball would sail on him. He is not big enough to be a TE, has never really been a blocker and he is inexperienced at WR. If I were Gray I would take my shot and roll with QB as a position. I would also
hire Chris Weinke down in Florida, if he can get with that Sports management agency and go to the academy they have down there for draft eligible quarterbacks, he would benefit a lot
from getting with an agent that could help him prior to his pro day.
I could see him developing in to a QB at the Pro level as the talent is there, now he just needs the right coach. You can count me as wrong, if you think otherwise but I think he has it in him to play QB. Daunte Culpepper played QB and he was missing a few tools in the toolbox upstairs. Gray has never looked as brain dead as that Culpepper guy could at times.

Trestman and the Bears would be perfect for Gray as a developmental QB as he has the physical tools.

 

[Sportsfan24]

I agree that the constant change at QB coach and the move to WR hurt his development at QB. I also agree with the poster that made the observation that at times he threw the ball like throwing a dart, trying to guide the ball to an exact target location and with bad footwork the ball would sail on him. He is not big enough to be a TE, has never really been a blocker and he is inexperienced at WR. If I
were Gray I would take my shot and roll with QB as a position. I would also
hire Chris Weinke down in Florida, if he can get with that Sports management agency and go to the academy they have down there for draft eligible quarterbacks, he would benefit a lot
from getting with an agent that could help him prior to his pro day.

I could see him developing in to a QB at the Pro level as the talent is there, now he just needs the right coach. You can count me as wrong, if you think otherwise but I think he has it in him to play QB. Daunte Culpepper played QB and he was missing a few tools in the toolbox upstairs. Gray has
never looked as brain dead as that Culpepper guy could at times.

Trestman and the Bears would be perfect for Gray as a developmental QB as he has the physical tools.

Put the crack pipe down; Daunte was one of the top 5 QB's in the NFL prior to suffering a career ending injury, not to mention the NCAA's most accurate QB of all time. Brain dead? Nope.

 

[mplsbadger]

Agree. DC may not have set the world on fire acting as his own agent, but the guy had, statistically speaking, one of the ten best seasons EVER for a quarterback.

 

[It's a Pig Man!]

He is not big enough to be a TE

Not going to disagree with anything else you said because I don't necessarily think it's wrong and you are entitled to your opinion but the guy is 6'3" 230. That may be a little on the smaller side but it's far from unheard of and he can likely pack on a few pounds if need be. Whether he has the skills to learn the tight end position is an entirely other discussion but size is not the issue.

 

[Ogee Ogilthorpe]

(for the most part) +1 No real longterm coaching at the QB position adds to relying on natural ability too much. I could see him growing leaps and bounds in the right situation. Here's to Mr. Gray proving doubters wrong like he has all along.

What exactly has Gray proven anyone wrong about? I'm not sure what you mean here. Gray is an exceptional athlete, but I think sometimes as Gopher fans, we get caught up a little too much in that fact. I'm guessing it's because the Gophers don't get athletes of that caliber very often. I would guess Alabama, LSU, Florida each have 3-4 linebackers with the athleticism of MG. Great athlete, great person, great ambassador for the UofM... QB? Not so much....

Agree. DC may not have set the world on fire acting as his own agent, but the guy had, statistically speaking, one of the ten best seasons EVER for a quarterback.

I was a HUGE fan of Daunte and was awfully glad he was wearing the purple for a few years there, but it's hard to ignore the fact that he was tossing the ball to two of the most elite pass catchers in the history of the NFL, the same two WR's that made Randall Cunningham AND Jeff George look like NFL HOF'ers in 1998.

That being said, was he not part of one of the BEST Mayne Event pieces with Kenny Mayne when he did the bit about his TD celebration being attributed to being called for travelling in a basketball game way back in like HS or Junior High? Good stuff.

 

[Maverick]

What exactly has Gray proven anyone wrong about? I'm not sure what you mean here. Gray is an exceptional athlete, but I think sometimes as Gopher fans, we get caught up a little too much in that fact. I'm guessing it's because the Gophers don't get athletes of that caliber very often. I would guess Alabama, LSU, Florida each have 3-4 linebackers with the athleticism of MG. Great athlete, great person, great ambassador for the UofM... QB? Not so much....


Looking at the bolded part of your quote, why is there no discussion about MG transitioning to linebacker? If memory serves me correctly, there have been several college quarterbacks that made that transition in the NFL. Even a Minnesota Gopher quarterback...

 

[dpodoll68]

Not going to disagree with anything else you said because I don't necessarily think it's wrong and you are entitled to your opinion but the guy is 6'3" 230. That may be a little on the smaller side but it's far from unheard of and he can likely pack on a few pounds if need be. Whether he has the skills to learn the tight end position is an entirely other discussion but size is not the issue.

+1

Gray: 6'3", 240

Gates: 6'4", 255
Davis: 6'3", 250
Gonzalez: 6'5", 247

Size is not and will not be an issue.