Bison offensive lineman Geoff Gray signs as priority free agent with NFL’s Green Bay Packers
With the 2017 NFL (National Football League) Draft complete, Bison offensive lineman Geoff Gray has signed as a priority free agent with the NFL's Green Bay Packers
Gray, 22, could now follow Bison alum David Onyemata as a NFL football player after Onyemata was selected and played the whole season with the NFL's New Orleans Saints in 2016.
Gray commented after the signing on Saturday, "I'm excited to join the Packers. Several team teams came on strong and made good offers but I had to go with my gut, and Green Bay seemed like the right fit for me."
The 6'6", 310 lbs. offensive lineman finished his fourth playing season at Manitoba in 2016 and started all eight league games for the Bisons, who averaged 34.5 points and 487.1 total yards per contest, including 333.1 yards through the air, good for third in the country in his senior year. In addition, the Winnipeg native was selected and played in the prestigious East-West Shrine Game in January 2017 and received praise before and after the Shrine Game from numerous NFL scouts and media. Plus, he held a successful pro day at University Of Manitoba in front of 8 NFL teams and scouts.
In his four year Bison playing career (2013-16), Gray has been incredibly durable on the offensive line, as he has not missed a game so far by playing in all 32 conference regular season games. Gray has started in the last 30 regular season games plus started in six playoff games over his four year career with the Bisons. He showed his versatility by starting 19 regular season games at right guard (plus two more games as non-starter in his first two games as a Bison) along with five games started at right guard in the post-season. He also started in 10 regular games and one playoff game at right tackle with also one start at left tackle in his illustrious time with the Herd.
A member of the Canada West championship team in 2014, Gray participated in last spring's East-West Bowl and was recently was ranked third overall – first among U SPORTS players - on the April 2017 and final prospect list of the CFL Scouting Bureau.
Bison Football head coach Brian Dobie enthused, "On behalf of the Bison Football program, we are obviously very excited and happy for Geoff as he signs with the Green Bay Packers. This is the second year in a row, and third overall, where a Bison has generated a NFL opportunity. Bison Football is very proud today."
