Cedric Gray
North Carolina Tar Heels – No. 33
PositionLinebacker
ClassSenior
Personal information
Born: (2002-10-30) October 30, 2002[1]
Fort Washington, Maryland
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career history
College
High schoolArdrey Kell
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
Career highlights and awards

Cedric Gray (born October 30, 2002) is an American football linebacker. He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Early life

Born in Fort Washington, Maryland, Gray attended Fort Washington Forest Elementary before relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2013 attending Community House MS and Ardrey Kell High School. As a wide receiver, he brought in 143 receptions for 2,467 yards and 27 touchdowns, while also rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown. As a linebacker on defense, he tallied 131 tackles with 12 being for a loss, 4.5 sacks, two pass deflections, three interceptions, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble.[2] Gray committed to play college football at the University of North Carolina over other schools such as Akron, Appalachian State, and Marshall.[3][4]

College career

As a freshman in 2020, Gray recorded three tackles.[5] Gray would break out the following year, earning a starting spot at linebacker for the Tar Heels in 2021. In week seven of that season, Gray recorded six tackles with one for a loss, and two interceptions, including the interception to clinch the victory over Miami.[6][7] For his performance, he was named the ACC linebacker of the week.[8] In the team's bowl game, Gray posted 13 tackles with two for a loss, but the Tar Heels fell to South Carolina.[9] Gray finished the 2021 season with 99 tackles with six going for a loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass deflections, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery.[10]

Gray got off to a strong start to the 2022 season, racking up 13 tackles and an interception in the Tar Heels' thrilling 63–61 win over Appalachian State.[11] In week five, Gray totaled eight tackles and an interception in a 41-10 win over Virginia Tech, 41–10.[12] In week ten, Gray racked up 16 tackles as the Tar Heels beat Virginia, 31–28.[13] In the 2022 Holiday Bowl, Gray recorded eight tackles with two for a loss, and a pass deflection, but North Carolina fell to Oregon, 28–27.[14] Gray finished the 2022 season with 145 tackles with 12 being for a loss, a sack, six pass deflections, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles, earning first team All ACC honors for his performance.[15][16] He was also named a second team All-American by Sporting News.[17]

Gray was named to the preseason first team All-ACC heading into the 2023 season,[18] and would live up to that projection. He would tally 121 total tackles (64 solo), five sacks, two forced fumbles, and another interception en route to his second-straight first team all-conference nod.[19] He would declare for the 2024 NFL Draft following the conclusion of the regular season.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "NFL Draft Profile: Cedric Gray, Linebacker, North Carolina Tar Heels". Sports Illustrated. April 19, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Cedric Gray's Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  3. ↑ Jones, Andrew. "Charlotte Athlete Cedric Gray Commits To UNC". Rivals.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Wertz Jr., Langston. "Cedric Gray on sticking at Ardrey Kell: 'I'd rather be a big fish in a small pond.'". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Cedric Gray 2020 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Brown, C.L. "UNC has Miami's number under Mack Brown. What we learned from the Tar Heels 45-42 win". The News & Observer. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  7. ↑ Jones, Andrew. "Gray Striding Forward As Each Game Passes". Rivals.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  8. ↑ McConnell, Brighton. "ACC Names UNC Football's Gray, Downs as Players of the Week". Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Schade, Issac. "Quick Hitters - North Carolina vs. South Carolina (Duke's Mayo Bowl)". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Cedric Gray 2021 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Batten, Sammy. "UNC football holds off Appalachian State in dramatic in-state showdown". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Wei, Daniel. "Defense finally shows up in UNC football's blowout win over Virginia Tech". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  13. ↑ Rogers, Evan. "Cedric Gray leads battered North Carolina defense in victory against Virginia". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  14. ↑ Maddock, Eve. "Close loss to Oregon in Holiday Bowl wraps up promising season for UNC football". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Cedric Gray 2022 Game Logs". Sports Reference. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  16. ↑ Martin, Ross. "Drake Maye, Josh Downs, & Cedric Gray Named First-Team All-ACC". 247Sports. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  17. ↑ Baucom, Bryant. "Cedric Gray tabbed as Sporting News All-American". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  18. ↑ Rojas, Asheebo. "Drake Maye named Preseason POTY, three Tar Heels make Preseason All". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  19. ↑ "Atlantic Coast Conference Announces 2023 All-ACC Football Teams". theacc.com. Atlantic Coast Conference. November 28, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  20. ↑ Holloway, Jeremiah (December 11, 2023). "Cedric Gray Announces Plan to Enter NFL Draft, Skip Bowl Game". InsideCarolina.com. 247 Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
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