via i1.mail.com

As a Gopher fan, I am a bit intrigued at Marqueis Gray as an NFL prospect. After last night’s Texas Bowl, in which the Gophers lost in a thriller, I am now looking forward to his path to the draft.

One thing that I think is apparent is that he will not go into the league as a QB. He came to Minnesota as a WR, but changed to QB. He has played a bit of both this season, but was primarily a QB. Gray has a lot working for him; he is huge (6’5", 250 pounds), he can run, throw and catch (though he doesn’t exactly excel at any of those attributes.) As an athletic prospect, he has a lot going for him, but I’m curious to see what position he decides to play, or what coaches ask him to play. Here are a few possibilities.

Tight End – Given his size and that he has played WR in the past, it seems like TE would be the most natural fit. He fits the mold of most pro TEs in the game today and I think this is the position he would be most ready to play from day 1.

Wide Receiver – This would be a long shot, as 250 lbs is a bit big for a pro WR, but he could be asked to lose weight. He would definitely be a developmental project.

Quarterback – Along with WR, this is one of the positions he played in college, but he was more of a scrambling QB, and though he can throw, he isn’t exactly a pro style QB. Still a team that may be considering running a Wild Cat offense could be interested.

Fullback – To go along with the TE possibility, Gray could make an interesting FB prospect. He can run and catch, which would make him a threat out of the backfield.

So, what is your take on Gray? Would you be interested in seeing him in purple and gold? I would say if he becomes an undrafted rookie, we should scoop him right away.