Chris Gragg: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Arkansas TE
If you are looking for an athletic tight end in the NFL draft, look no further than Chris Gragg out of Arkansas.
The former Razorback is an intriguing prospect flying under the radar at his position, but he can fly on the football field. And he's proven he can get it done against the stiffest competition college football has to offer when healthy. Of course, the NFL is a whole new ball game.
Here are five things you should know about him before he enters the league's deeper waters.
Combine results courtesy of NFL.com. College stats courtesy of sports-reference.com.
Background
1 of 5Full Name: Chris Gragg
Birthday: June 30, 1990
Hometown: Warren, Arkansas
School: Arkansas
Year: Senior (redshirt)
Major: Sports Management
Twitter: @CGragg80
Gragg was an unheralded tight end coming out of his hometown Warren High School. He was actually a receiver during his first year at Arkansas.
Collegiate Stats
2 of 5Chris Gragg didn't do too much during his first two years at Arkansas. He was a receiver his first season, catching just one pass on the year.
He was injured in 2009, so he took a medical redshirt. He spent some time behind Mackey Award-winning D.J. Williams before becoming a starter in 2011.
His senior season was also cut short because of injury.
Receiving
| Year | Pos | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2008 | WR | 1 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
| 2010 | TE | 8 | 171 | 21.4 | 2 |
| 2011 | TE | 41 | 518 | 12.6 | 2 |
| 2012 | TE | 22 | 289 | 13.1 | 3 |
| Career | 72 | 1003 | 13.9 | 7 |
Draft Process
3 of 5Measurables
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 244 lbs.
Arm Length: 33 5/8"
Hand Size: 9"
Combine Results
40-yard dash: 4.5 seconds (top performer)
225-pound bench press: 18 reps
Broad jump: 125.0 inches (top performer)
Vertical jump: 37.5 inches (top performer)
20-yard shuttle: 4.51 seconds
Three-cone drill: 7.08 seconds (top performer)
Gragg raised eyebrows at the combine with a fantastic all-around performance.
He was the top tight end in the 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.5 seconds on the nose. Gragg also led all tight ends in the broad and vertical jumps.
The Arkansas product showed overall athleticism throughout the process, and he did well in the pass-catching drills.
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Setbacks in College
4 of 5Chris Gragg might be one of the most talked-about tight ends in the NFL draft were it not for misfortune during his tenure at Arkansas.
He lost his sophomore season to injury, though he might not have gotten on the field while D.J. Williams was around. Indeed, he did not become a starter until 2011, his redshirt junior season.
His stock was on the rise, but his offense took a dive after that. Much like Tyler Wilson's plight, Bobby Petrino's scandal and departure rocked the Razorbacks and put a drag on their collective draft stock.
Another injury cut Gragg's senior season short and put a medical red flag on the big tight end, to boot.
Observations
5 of 5"— Chris Gragg (@Gragg80) April 22, 2013"
Im suppose to get a job this week.... #Winning lol
"Chris Gragg and I would like to announce we're engaged. (he may be unaware, so don't say anything to him) dlvr.it/3DsJfR
— Fantasy Douche (@FantasyDouche) April 15, 2013"
"Someone is going to get a steal on the third day if #Arkansas TE Chris Gragg can stay healthy. My scouting report: bleacherreport.com/articles/15998…
— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) April 10, 2013"
"Chris Gragg (Arkansas) is a perfect fit for the #49ers offense in replacing Delanie Walker. Injured in '12, Gragg was a stud in '11.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 27, 2013"
"Most surprising TE to this point is Ark's Chris Gragg.He has run an unofficial 40 of 4.44 and also 10-5 broad jump
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 23, 2013"
"Chris Gragg was one of those guys tough to evaluate in 2012. Lost his head coach, OL was terrible.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 23, 2013"
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