Cedric Gray scouting report: Exploring the North Carolina LB's strengths and weaknesses

A three-star recruit in 2020, Cedric Gray played all 12 games as a linebacker and on special teams as a freshman, but only logged three tackles. He started the latter 37 of 39 games he’s been available for the following three seasons, combining for 365 tackles, 29 of those for loss, 8.5 sacks, five fumbles forced and recovered each, five passes intercepted and 13 more broken up.

Cedric Gray made first-team All-ACC in 2022 and ’23 respectively.

Details: 6-foot-2, 230 pounds; SR.

Breaking down Cedric Gray's scouting report

Cedric Gray #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels tackles Tai Goode #3 of the Campbell Fighting Camels

Strengths

Run defense

• Cedric Gray is an aggressive, gap-shooting run-defender, who trusts what his eyes tell him.
• Made first contact on a ball carrier 122 times in 2022, which was 15 more than the next-closest defender in college football – the best single-season mark by a Power-5 player in the PFF College era.
• His short-area burst to be leveraged towards on side of blocks and then get to the opposite end as he sees the ball carrier commit that way is eye-popping.
• Capable of circling around or back-dooring linemen in a hurry, with the flexibility to wrap and sling running backs to the turf on challenging angles.
• North Carolina asked their defensive ends to wrong-shoulder kick-out blockers, so Cedric Gray rapidly shot down to meet the secondary puller in the backfield and force a quick cut up the field where his buddies were in place.
• Offers the speed profile the NFL is looking for, in terms of tracking down plays sideline-to-sideline.
• Regularly ends up shoving ball carriers out of bounds for minimal yardage on perimeter-oriented plays.
• Has those long arms (32.5 inches) to chop down ball-carriers from behind way more often than you think he could.

Coverage

• Cedric Gray is light on his feet to float around as a zone defender.
• Widens his drops under good control as he follows the quarterback’s eyes.
• Provides tremendous make-up burst to disrupt the catch-point against seam routes or crossers off play-action after stepping up vs. the run-fake initially.
• Does not wait back against hook or curl routes in his vicinity, actively working back down along with the target, to contest the catch.
• Makes some highly impressive plays when matched one-on-one with the back and securing tackles out in the flats or on screens, where he has to avoid traffic.
• Doesn’t look uncomfortable flipping and running with wheel routes, with the speed to stay even down the sideline.
• Was responsible for less than five yards per target in coverage last season (245 yards on 49 targets), with one touchdown and interception each to his name.

Blitzing

• Understands very well how to rush from different angles and turn his shoulders from multiple potential points of contact in order to not get slowed down a whole lot.
• Brings plenty of force as a blitzer, to fight through the reach of offensive linemen and flash up the passer’s face.
• You see relentless leg drive to power/squirt through the crease between blockers and create pressure.
• Features a nice combination of wiggle-to/and-power, already flashing some impressive cross-face moves against running backs.
• Offers an intriguing profile as a pressure player as he develops his hand combats with the long arms and quicks he brings to the table.
• You see Gray bounce off bodies when used as a rusher and be able to chase after quarterbacks with his quick burst to shut them down on scrambles.

Weaknesses

• Cedric Gray needs to do a better job of releasing after punching as he deals with linemen in the run game, as you see backs squeeze through holes much more often than you’d like to.
• Will allow running backs to drive forward through him around the line of scrimmage and there are too many drag-tackles on Gray’s tape.
• Playing a little tall and sort of bounding rather than stepping/shuffling in zone coverage limits Gray’s ability to get his cleats into the turf and redirect as he processes new information.
• Cedric Gray missed at least 17 tackles in all three seasons as a starter (13.5% career miss rate).

Cedric Gray's 2024 NFL Draft projection

Cedric Gray #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends a pass to Malachi Fields #86 of the Virginia Cavaliers

Cedric Gray was one of the more fun linebackers to watch, because everything he does is fast. You always have to isolate how much players gamble or are allowed the scheme to be that aggressive style of player, but based on what he put on tape, it was always based on IDing and attacking keys in the run game.

His missed tackles often happen because he’s shooting a crease instead of waiting behind blockers and not getting a clean wrap-up on ball carriers. But he at least slows them down and allows the rest of the defense to converge.

He’ll need to clean up his footwork and ability to change directions in a more compact fashion in coverage. He has the potential to be a valuable asset covering ground in zone, a matchup player against backs and tight ends as well as a dangerous pass-rusher, with his ability to blitz from different angles and win with quickness or power.

Cedric Gray should be a lock for the top 100 and an intriguing target for a defensive coordinator willing to use him as a forward player – at least early on in his career.

Cedric Gray Grade: Early third round.

You might like other LB scout reports: Edgerrin Cooper; Tommy Eichenberg; Trevin Wallace; Nathaniel Watson; Jaylan Ford; Junior Colson.