Johnathan Gray of Aledo (Texas): Top 50 recruit

Johnathan Gray continues to put up massive, head-spinning, record-breaking numbers for Aledo (Texas) High School's football team.

With 2,302 more rushing yards this season, he's moved from No. 21 all the way to No. 2 on the Texas career rushing list with 9,302. Last week he rushed 31 times for 265 yards and seven touchdowns in a 67-42 win over Birdville (Texas). He's passed such names as Cedrick Benson, Billy Sims, David Overstreet and Jacquizz Rodgers.

With 48 more touchdowns - 44 rushing - he's up to 183 for his career, an on-going state mark.

With 288 more points, he's up to 1,100 for his career, which has obliterated Ken Hall's previous No. 1 Texas mark of 899 and is No. 2 nationally. 



Considering all that, Aledo football coach Tim Buchanan gave an unexpected answer when asked about his proudest Gray moment.

Must certainly be the one-man 323-yard, eight-touchdown show he put on in last year's 4A-2 state title game, a 69-34 win over ultra-athletic La Marque.

"To score three or four touchdowns against a team like that would have been unbelievable," Buchanan said. "Eight? Unfathomable."

But no, the 29-year veteran coach said, that's not it.

What about the 31-carry, 251-yard, four-TD game in the 2009 state title game, another Aledo championship, 35-21 over Brenham (Texas)? Or the time he rushed for 151 yards, caught passes for more than 200 and scored seven touchdowns – in just 20 touches – in a resounding win over Brewer (Fort Worth, Texas)?

No, no sir.



Well then how about being named National Sophomore and Junior Player of the Year by MaxPreps or breaking his own state record with 59 touchdowns last season, or the day he committed to the University of Texas, ending months of speculation?

Nope, nope and nope again.

Seems Buchanan was particularly moved by Thanksgiving Day practice last year during a water break. A 6-year-old boy walked over to say hello, a kid Gray never met.

"Jonathan squatted to a knee to get at the boy's eye level, shook his hand and just walked him around the field," Buchanan said. "Nobody else was looking. Nobody really noticed. But that's the kind of kid Johnathan is. Big heart. Enormous character."

{VIDEO_71d4cd97-0a0b-44d4-8f89-8607084446b0,floatRightWithBar}Nobody was around when as a freshman and sophomore, Buchanan was often alerted to Gray driving the weight sled 100 yards at a time after practice.

"It would be 5 p.m., 98 degrees out and he's pushing himself to get faster and stronger," Buchanan said. "That would be fine normally, but it would be the day before a game. We had to pull the reigns in on him back then.



"He's simply one of the hardest working kids we've ever had here."

And unquestionably, the most talented. {PAGEBREAK}Speed and patience
The son of a former Texas Tech All-American running back James Gray, Johnathan is blessed with 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, a tremendous burst and best of all, Buchanan said, an ability to see and read blocks.

"His biggest attributes are his speed and patience," Buchanan said. "He sets up blocks beautifully and then accelerates just at the right time. He can drive and juke with the best of them but that doesn't always work against bigger and talented kids. He's so effective against better competition because he has such great vision and knows just when to cut."

All those things and ability to catch and block is why MaxPreps/CBS Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming ranks Gray the top running back in the Class of 2012 and No. 8 overall.

"He's a three-ring circus," Lemming said. "He can run, catch and block. He's an explosive ball player with great vision."

CBS recruiting expert Bryan Fischer saw Gray in person for the first time at Nike's "The Opening" showcase last July in Oregon. Amongst many of the most talented backs in the country, Fischer said Gray stood out.



"I know he can run but I wanted to see how complete a back he was by catching the ball," Fischer said. "He answered all my questions, exploded out of the backfield, soft hands, runs sharp routes. Love his game."

{VIDEO_fb09896c-0864-4987-9b24-ae20f5d973f4,floatRightWithBar}And by all accounts, Gray loves the game.

His answers to narrow questions are large in scope. Like reading blocks on the field, his vision is wide.

* What's his favorite aspect of the game?

"Everything," he said. "Putting on your pads. Knowing you're going head-to-head against a good team. Going to war and playing your heart out."

* His favorite memory?



"Winning back-to-back state titles. That doesn't happen often in this state. Texans love their high school football. And I love playing high school football in Texas under the lights."

* His goals in 2012?

"Getting bigger, faster and stronger and helping my team win another state championship. And getting prepared for college." 

* What about being a target, both individually – he's dealt with that his whole life considering his dad's fame – and as a team.

"I think it's fun to have that target," Gray said. "It just pushes our team to get better. As far as my dad goes, that's just a part of fame. You just take it and run and be humble." {PAGEBREAK}Humble and stubborn
Despite all his running and scoring in high school – he needs 1,921 to catch national and Texas career rushing leader Hall – Gray has indeed remained humble. After touchdowns he tosses the ball to the referee and finds linemen to bear-hug.

"He's a great teammate – a great one," Buchanan said. "There's been many games team stack nine in the box and dare us to pass. We'll throw for 300 or 400 yards and he'll get minimal carries and he's just as excited in victory as he would be with 300 rushing yards."



His character and humility were instilled by his dad and mom Tonya, who according to Buchanan, rules the house with an iron fist.

"James acts likes he does, but she runs the show," Buchanan said with a grin.

Said Johnathan: "She keeps my dad and I under control."

An only child, Johnathan praised both his parents and credits them for all his success.

His dad, Texas Tech's career rushing leading and a fifth-round pick of the Patriots in 1990, said his son is better than him as a prep, though he wasn't sure Johnathan would be a running back.

"He persevered and progressed over time to get to this point," James said. "But that's how he's done everything his whole life, whether it was riding a bike or skating, he never wanted any help. He'd fall down and always get up. He's stubborn and he has great, great willpower. It takes a lot to defeat him."



Like Buchanan, James' proudest moments tend to be off the field.

"When I have people tell me about his character or that I have a great son, that makes me happiest," James said. "I've tried to teach him that the game someday goes away but the legacy you leave is what kind of person you are."

{VIDEO_ff75e70e-bd6b-43c3-8555-4557408f219c,floatRightWithBar}James got a good sense of that Christmas Eve a few years back when he and his son approached a homeless man seeking change at a red light.

"I started to reach in my pocket for a dollar to give to Johnathan to give to the man," James said. "Johnathan already pulled out a five-dollar bill and handed it to him.

"I wanted to cry because you wonder if all those things you try to teach connect. It hit me then that my son really got it."

And in all regards, touchdowns included, he's giving it all back.



Gray by the numbers
2008: 140 carries, 981 yards, 15 touchdowns
2009: 372 carries, 2,798 yds, 50 touchdowns
2010: 351 carries, 3,221 yds, 59 touchdowns
* 2011: 180 carries, 2,302 yds, 44 touchdowns
Total: 1043 carries, 8,302 yds, 168 touchdowns

* - Through nine games.

Gray by Texas
* 59 rushing TDs is state single-season record
* 183 career total touchdowns is ongoing state record
* Two seasons with 50 or more rushing TDs is state record
* 8,302 yards is 2nd on state career list
* 3,221 yards is 13th best single-season
* Needs 1,921 rushing yards to catch national and Texas career rushing leader Ken Hall. If Aledo reaches the state finals, he'll need to average 320 yards per game to catch Hall.
* His 1,100 career points is state record, well ahead of Hall's 899.