He lettered four years at Howard Payne, and was selected All-Lone Star Conference and a Little All-American.
He believed HPU helped shape his character and prepare him for any difficulties he faced in the NFL.
[1][2][3] The Green Bay Packers selected him in the sixth round of the 1958 NFL draft (62nd pick overall) and he was the final player cut by Packer coach Scooter McLean in training camp prior to the regular NFL season that year, with the Packers keeping their number four draft pick, future hall of fame guard Jerry Kramer.
[4][5][6] Other NFL teams contacted Gray to try out and he settled on the Chicago Cardinals because he would be driving through Illinois from Green Bay to Texas.
[8] In 1967, three other offensive lineman from the Cardinals, Bob DeMarco (center), Irv Goode (left guard), and Ernie McMillan (right tackle), along with Cardinals hall of fame tight end Jackie Smith, were all selected to the Pro Bowl.
[14] In 2016, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame along with former University of Texas head football coach Fred Akers, former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Larry Allen and former Major League Baseball pitcher Andy Pettitte.
[citation needed] In 2018, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Gray to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.