No need for a detailed profile on Gragg. He's a faster Charles Clay with better blocking & receiving ability. 6'3, 245'ish, and ideally fits our offense and how we use Clay. Impressive natural blocking ability and blocks like a guy much bigger IMO. Not just an on-the-move blocker either as he can hold his own inline against linebackers and some DEs. Great versatility as he can line up at fullback, inline, or in the slot and be effective at all 3 positions. Possesses receiver type speed and should run in the 4.5's. Has good hands. Legitimate seam threat ability here as well as potential for yards after catch/contact. Kid is tough, highly competitive, and plays with a physical presence. Definitely a pup that bites. Charles Clay is a good player; I like his versatility and was an advocate of drafting him but Gragg is an upgrade IMO, and because of Gragg's 2012 injury he'll likely come at a bargain price. Not a lot of tape on him but if you watched him play it's hard to not come away impressed. This is a solid, consistent player and should be a draft priority IMO. I'd use our 4th on him in a heartbeat but might be able to get him in the 5th. *Notice the 40 yard catch at the 0:44 mark. Gragg pulls away from linebacker Xavier Lamb (#25) who ran a 4.66 at his pro day and maintains distance from free safety Jimmie Anderson (#19), 4.47 pro day. [video=youtube;FA36Cc4tIgs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA36Cc4tIgs[/video] 42 yard TD, runs right by linebacker Joel Kight [video=youtube;PtMXbeUCEQs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtMXbeUCEQs[/video] Gragg vs Miss St (2011). Quite an impressive day receiving AND blocking. [video=youtube;49dhCOLxzDE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49dhCOLxzDE[/video]
Ah crap, ANOTHER TE to throw into the mix. lol. I'll get to him after I watch Kelce, who sounds perfect for us... but we'll see. This guy, if he's a Clay-Clone, maybe we don't want to use a pick on him just yet. So many other holes to fill.
I didn't say he's a Clay-Clone. I said he's a Clay upgrade. Saying he's a Clay clone is like saying Eifert is an Egnew clone just b/c they'd play a similar position/role in our offense. Talent is talent, and our offense needs more of it, so I don't see any reason to think Clay should be immune to upgrade considering his 17 catch, 222 yard average per season. Gragg is more of a Dwayne Allen type than Charles Clay. I doubt Philbin & Ireland are giving up on Egnew; plus they'll likely add another player who fits the starting tight end role, so IMO it would make more sense for them to want to either add a second Hback or upgrade the Hback position before they'll spend another 3rd rounder on a guy who is similar to what 3rd round Egnew is at this point after spending 2012 developing. Besides, we don't "fill holes" with 4th/5th round draft picks do we? Honestly, do you think a 5th rounder being asked to start as a rookie would qualify as "filling a hole"? I'm sorry but I disagree with any notion of drafting for need than BPA, especially with later round picks, as most of the draft should be about building for the future. If you want to fill a need, then do it with a stop gap FA who can temporarily do the job better than a rookie, and thus save the draft to improve the team's talent.
I don't think there are a lot of tight ends are going to be as good lead blockers as guys with experience as ball-carriers, especially on zone plays. The vision can be pretty helpful. Lane wasn't bad either, and I think looked like he had some potential.
That was my only reservation to saying he'd supplant Lane b/c I don't recall Gragg taking any handoffs, although I could see him developing into a solid lead blocker.
Look, I'm Mr. Rah Rah Razorback around here. I think Dennis Johnson is going to be one of the steals of the draft in the sixth or seventh round, Tyler Wilson has the moxie to be a good (but not great) NFL starter for somebody, and the if Cobi Hamilton ends up in a place like Green Bay, he is going to be a stud; however, I wouldn't touch Gragg with a ten foot poll. The guy is a gamer, his hands might be small, but they are soft. He wasn't asked to block a lot in the Petrino offense, so that is a concern. The biggest thing that just scares the crap out of me is that the kid just can't stay healthy. I don't trust him. 2009 he dislocates his ankle and misses the whole year, 2011 he has a nagging in jury that sidelines and slows him down, and of course last year he injures his leg the third week of the season that pretty much kept him out the rest of the year. That play against Ole Miss above, yeah, he reinjured his leg later that game. It didn't seem to be a real serious injury, it seemed like every week "Gragg made good progress and might play" yet gameday would come, and no Gragg. He is a game changer, I like the guy, he definitely could be that elusive seam threat we've been looking for since Martin left, but he just seems like a guy who will never be able to stay consistently healthy.
Thanks B. If health is an issue then that's quite understandable; I'd be a hypocrite if I felt it didn't warrant attention which is a shame b/c I think he's an outstanding talent. His blocking looks fabulous in the Miss St game above BTW, as well as in the game I watched at the start of the season.
If you're ready to move on from Charles Clay then Chris Gragg is as good a replacement candidate as any. Explosive player on the football field, not just in the Combine.
true true, and it's not like the risk would come at the cost of a high draft pick. I'm guessing with the injury history he slides to the 6th. What do you think?
At that level, considering what's on the tape, it's a no-brainer as long as you're comfortable what it might mean for Charles Clay.
That was fun. Now do we have any cut-ups of the kid that include all his game-snaps, not just selects and highlights?
I like Clay but I wouldn't play favorites b/c of it. If there's a chance to upgrade our primary Hback spot, then count me in. Worst case scenario is we'd have better depth, no.
No 6th?? We have NO SIXTH!?@?!? Ireland did a horrible job. It's like he has no plan at all. This is the nail in his coffin. Fire John Ireland.
I think Clay could make a nice little jump, too, but IMO he doesn't possess the same level of talent Gragg does.
By the way I dare anyone to watch Chris Gragg in that Mississippi State game from back in 2011 and NOT also take note of RB Dennis Johnson. Don't know if it's possible. One of the reasons I love him so much. Impossible for me to ever watch an Arkansas offensive player and not end up noticing Johnson. He's another one of those players that are destined to be "over thought"
yeah I had to rewatch that steamroll display a few times. I like the kid's build.... and how he runs with it.
