Keep up with the NFL Draft with a profile of Connecticut cornerback Dwayne Gratz.
Dwayne Gratz
Connecticut
Position: Cornerback
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 201
Age: 23
Dwayne Gratz brings with him a lot of experience to this year's Draft as a starter in 29 games during his career at Connecticut. However, Gratz has been overshadowed in the pre-Draft buildup by his teammate and fellow cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson.
Overview of skills:
Gratz started all 12 games for UConn in 2012, recording 53 tackles and intercepting three passes as a fifth-year senior. He returned one of those interceptions for a 37-yard touchdown against Massachusetts in the Huskies' season opener. He posted nearly identical status during his junior season, including another 53 tackles and three interceptions. Gratz was named to the All-Big East Second Team in his final two years with the Huskies.
At the Combine, Gratz ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.15 seconds. He also had a broad jump of 125 inches and one of the best vertical jumps at the Combine with a leap of 38 inches.
What people are saying:
While one of Gratz' main strengths is his experience, CBS Sports lists some other parts of his game in which he excels:
"Good measureables for the position with adequate height and a solidly-built frame. Aggressive off blocks uses his large hands (10.5") to shed and fight through the trash. Physical run defender and seeks out contact. Good focus and ballskills to make plays on the ball. Plays assignment sound football and doesn't make many mistakes."
As for his weaknesses, NFL.com says that he has stiff hips, a choppy and slow backpedal and he can be too aggressive at times. It also states that he "struggles to track the football" and that he "drops his head and goes down to the ground too early on some tackle attempts."
Projected draft position:
NFL.com and CBS Sports each give an entirely different picture when it comes to Gratz. NFL.com gave him an overall rating of 62.1, which means he is expected to be drafted somewhere in the 4th-7th rounds. Meanwhile, CBS Sports has him going in the second round as the 58th-best player available and the 7th-best cornerback overall.
The Patriots need help in the defensive backfield and if they choose not to go with a cornerback in the first round, they could end up taking Gratz on day two. If CBS Sports is right, New England would most likely need to pick him with its No. 59 pick in the second round. If NFL.com is right, the Patriots might be able to wait for a later pick like the No. 91 pick in the third round or even later, likely via a traded pick.