If people haven't caught onto the trend yet, it's clear the
Chicago Bears are following through on what GM Ryan Poles said back in January. They want more speed in the passing game. To that end, they've been meeting with multiple receiver prospects over the past week, all of them checking that key box. Tyquan Thornton of Baylor was first. Then Jalen Nailor of Michigan State. Now Danny Gray of Southern Methodist joined the fun.
He posted on his Instagram account that he was visiting Halas Hall. Upon further research, it isn't hard to see why. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
compared Gray to current receiver Demarcus Robinson. He is the same receiver Poles helped draft during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs. So the interest makes even more sense now.
Gray is an intriguing player.
He didn't play for SMU until his junior season, collecting 448 yards and four touchdowns. Then as a senior, he took a big step forward with 803 yards and nine touchdowns in just ten games. This was soon followed by a standout showing at the scouting combine, where he ran a blistering 4.33 in the 40-yard dash. With the 16.4 yards per catch he averaged in 2021, it is fair to say the speed is real.
https://twitter.com/BillyM_91/status/1488872739121291264
https://twitter.com/JimNagy_SB/status/1442510421013925901
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNet/status/1307446615771406336
There is a lot to like about Danny Gray. He certainly comes from a program known for producing quality wide receivers. Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton both came out of SMU. His speed is a great asset, but he also deserves more credit for his solid route-running skills. It isn't perfect, but the building blocks are there for him to get better. His concerns center around lacking the strength to handle press coverage and a tendency to drop passes from time to time.
That and his modest production are likely why he's expected to go somewhere on Day 3 of the draft. With no 1st rounders, the Bears know they have to do their best to make their later picks count. Gray could be worth the risk.
