Derwin Gray – Noteworthy
Before heading to the NFL scouting combine this week, Maryland offensive lineman Derwin Gray asked Yannick Ngakoue for advice. Last year, he talked to DJ Moore about the draft process. As far as sounding boards go, he could have done worse than two young NFL stars. But Ngakoue, a defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Moore, a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, did not have to answer questions about whether they minded moving on from the position at which they excelled in college. In Indianapolis, a lot of teams have asked for Gray’s thoughts on playing guard, a post unfamiliar to him in College Park.
“They see me as a versatile player that can be a swing guy, that can play a lot of different things,” he said Thursday. “I’m very confident in my ability that I can play anywhere on the line of scrimmage. It really doesn’t matter. A lot of teams just want to know if I’m willing to play different spots. … They really need a solid guard that can hold it down, so I want to go in and get the job done.” Gray, who said he had a formal meeting Thursday with the Ravens, one of an estimated 20-plus teams he’s talked with, has no preference for where he plays at the next level. He was twice an All-Big Ten honorable mention at left tackle but has the size (6 feet 4, 320 pounds) of an interior lineman. “Wherever I’m needed to play at to get the job done and win championships,” he said, “that’s what I’m going to do.” – Baltimore Sun