ARKANSAS PRO DAY

Gragg, teammates gear up for scouts

Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

FAYETTEVILLE - Chris Gragg fell behind some of the top tight end prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft, like Stanford’s Zach Ertz, Notre Dame’s Tyler Eifert and Florida’s Jordan Reed, after playing in just five games as a senior at Arkansas because of a deep bone bruise and left knee injury.

Gragg, 6-4, 244 pounds, did some catching up at the NFL Scouting Combine last month by running the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, easily the best among tight ends, and posting a 37 ½-inch vertical jump, also the best at his position.

NFL scouts immediately began seeking out more game video on Gragg, who is from Warren.

“I’m a strong guy, a fast guy, and I’m explosive,” Gragg said, explaining that his combine numbers, like 18 reps on the 225-pound bench press, were about what he expected. “I really did put myself back out there just with the magnitude of the combine and all the teams being there.”

Gragg’s draft stock is on the rise, just like his offensive teammate Knile Davis, as the Razorbacks convene today for their pro day at Walker Pavilion before a crowd of NFL personnel expected to represent all 32 teams.

Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds, the second-fastest time to Auburn’s Onterio McCalebb among running backs, and put up 31 reps on the bench, also the second-most to Wake Forest fullback Tommy Bohanan.

Davis had a sub-par 2012 season and missed all of 2011 with a broken ankle after breaking out with 1,322 rushing yards to lead all SEC running backs in 2010, but he trained well at the Michael Johnson Performance Center in McKinney, Texas, and is riding a wave of positive reviews into pro day.

Davis, Gragg and former Arkansas teammates Dennis Johnson and Ross Rasner all trained together in the Dallas suburb and will be among the competitors today. Former Arkansas quarterback TylerWilson and receiver Cobi Hamilton, and other NFL hopefuls such as rehabilitated linebackers Alonzo Highsmith and Tenarius Wright, running back Ronnie Wingo Jr., defensive linemen Alfred Davis, D.D. Jones and Jared Green, offensive tackle Jason Peacock, linebacker Terrell Williams, cornerback Kaelon Kelleybrew and punter Dylan Breeding could all be on hand for the workouts as well.

Gragg performed so well at the combine that he said he isn’t planning to run the 40 today. He hopes the film study by NFL scouts and team personnel will show his traits as a top tight end.

“I feel like I can do it all,” he said. “I hope teams can see I’m versatile. I helped spring Knile and D.J. for some of their long runs, and I present matchup problems, catching the ball over safeties and beating linebackers down the field.”

Sports, Pages 19 on 03/15/2013

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