Why DeMarco Murray Has Talked For Two Years About What 'a Pro' Oklahoma RB Eric Gray Is

How DeMarco Murray described his newest running back two years ago when he got the job at Oklahoma is more apropos now than ever before.

Pro.

“The first word that comes to mind about Eric Gray is a pro,” Murray said. “He's a true pro on and off the field.”

That was two years ago, April 2021, and Murray was beginning his return stint to his alma mater and Gray had just transferred from Tennessee.

Since then, Murray has uttered some form of the phrase a dozen times or more to describe Gray.

“That’s what you‘ve got to be going into the league,” Gray said at his Pro Day last month. “Everybody (in the NFL) has something going on. You have to be able to produce every single day.”

Now Gray is coming off one of the best years ever for an OU running back and preparing for the NFL Draft — Round 1 is Thursday night, 2-3 are Friday, and 4-7 are Saturday as this year’s event unfolds in Kansas City — and Murray is still extolling Gray’s NFL virtues.

“Someone’s gonna get a steal,” Murray said earlier this month after a recent OU practice. “He’s a terrific player. Even better person. So the mindset that he had every day walking into this locker room, walking into this building, he had a pro mentality.”

Murray recounted a recent observation he had of Gray acting like a professional, again, and had to share it with his current running back group.

“I was getting lunch,” Murray said, “and I look outside — I took a video and I sent it to my guys — ‘There’s one guy out there just working by himself. That’s Eric Gray.’

“That’s the epitome of who he is. You’re not gonna have to call him or ask him to do this or do that. He’s motivated just by himself to be great. So whenever he gets to the NFL, man, he’s gonna do a great job, and I’m excited about it.”

The 5-foot-9, 209-pound Gray isn’t big or blazingly fast, but he’s very quick and he’s exceptionally intelligent about the game and he’s extremely versatile. Those assets, combined with a high work ethic and a professional attitude, will serve him well in the NFL.

“I think he’s more football-fast than line up and run the 40,” Murray said.
“There’s very rare time as a running back you get to have that available. But his short-area quickness is second to none. Obviously his versatility in the passing game, blocking, and he’s a tough runner. I mean, I think he showed that all last year.”

Gray’s transition from versatile option at Tennessee to go-to centerpiece at Oklahoma took time.

The Memphis product was two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Tennessee, and as a freshman with the Vols, he rushed for 539 yards and four touchdowns. His sophomore season, Gray ran for 772 yards and added 254 yards receiving.

But 2021, his first year in Norman, Gray rushed for just 412 yards with another 229 receiving as Kennedy Brooks returned for his final season and put up big numbers.

Then last year, in Jeff Lebby’s offense, Gray exploded for 1,366 rushing yards — the eighth-best single-season total in school history — and averaged 6.4 yards per carry with 11 touchdowns and another 229 yards receiving.

Gray said having to transition from Lincoln Riley’s scheme to what Lebby wanted him to do helped him a lot.

“One hundred percent,” Gray said. “Having to change that offense forced me to learn quickly and on my feet.”

He also said being at OU for two full years set him up for success at the next level — but not for the reasons why everyone might expect.

“Just that family atmosphere,” he said. “Me coming here, just being confident in my game and knowing who Eric Gray is. With DeMarco teaching me how to be a pro and teaching me how to approach the game not only on the field, but off the field and being a pro in everything that you do, it definitely helped.”

Gray’s big year in 2022 shed his image as a third-down back or a situational player. He said his people have told him that NFL teams talk about drafting him on day two, in the second or third round. His directive then will be to deliver as much value as possible for whatever team selects him.

“Definitely an every-down back,” Gray said. “I’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of different schemes and have been successful in a lot of different schemes as well as using my ability to catch out of the backfield. I converted to an every-down back.

“You have to provide results every single day (in the NFL) or there’s another man coming in right behind.”

Gray said he fulfilled his mission by transferring from Tennessee to OU — and Murray was the central figure in everything.

“The reason I came here was DeMarco Murray and playing the game at a high level,” he said. “I thought he could teach me how to be a pro and sustain it at the next level. Having him was just an added bonus.”

Murray’s message about Gray has been consistent over the past 24 months.

“He's a guy that shows up early, stays late, extremely smart,” Murray said back in 2021. “The transition for him offensively, scheme-wise has been very, honestly, easy for him. And our offense is extremely complicated.”

And in 2023, after watching him excel in a different offense, Murray liked Gray even more.

“A guy like Eric Gray … was kind of our comfort blanket," Murray said. "No matter what happened out there, no matter what the situation was – two-minute, short-yardage, situation football – he was going to be there. He was going to get it done.”

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