The plan all along was for the Giants to take a running back in the middle of the 2023 NFL Draft.
They wanted to build up their depth at the position, and they did so on Saturday, selecting Eric Gray out of Oklahoma in the fifth round.
How expected was this?
General manager Joe Schoen actually alerted Saquon Barkley prior to the draft of his intention to add a running back, making sure Barkley would not be blindsided by the news.
Not that a player taken with the 172nd overall pick is going to challenge Barkley, who has not yet signed his franchise tender of $10.1 million, in hopes of securing a long-term deal at some point this summer.
“I’ve watched a lot of Saquon, me playing, I’ve watched a lot of his games, so just being able to learn from him, things that he did as a rookie being successful in the league, that’s going to be very important,’’ Gray said.
Waiting at home in Nashville, Tenn., to hear his name called, Gray said he needed to get out of the house on Day 3 of the draft. He took a drive with his friends, and that is when the Giants called him.
“We rushed home, everybody ran out of the house yelling,’’ Gray said. “I got a chance to talk with the entire organization over FaceTime. Just a great FaceTime, for me just an unbelievable moment.���
Gray spent his first two college years at Tennessee — he was a teammate of receiver Jalin Hyatt, the Giants’ third round pick — before he transferred to Oklahoma.
In 2022, he rushed for 1,366 yards — averaging 6.4 yards per carry — with 11 touchdowns. He also caught 33 passes for 229 yards.
Gray said “having those natural hands’’ helps make him an adept pass-catcher.
“I have a good feel for knowing coverages coming out of the backfield, knowing if it’s man or zone or if I need to break it this way, setting crisp routes, getting to my depth,’’ Gray said. “I would say I’ve been blessed to be a pretty good route runner out of the backfield.’’
At 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds, Gray is built like a tank with huge thighs, giving him something in common with Barkley.
Scouts say he has excellent hands and could develop into a three-down back, as he has the strength to be an asset as a pass protector in the backfield.
He does not possess outstanding speed, doing his best work between the tackles.
The Giants this offseason re-signed veteran Matt Breida and also have Gary Brightwell returning on the roster.
Gray said “it was definitely a little roller-coaster’’ as he waited on Friday and was not drafted. He said dropping will motivate him.
“One hundred percent going to come with a chip on my shoulder,’’ Gray said. “I feel like I have to go prove it and be the player that I want to be in the league.”
