Getty Danny Gray of the 49ers
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Danny Gray is off and running in a span of five days, literally.
It was Friday, August 12, when the third rounder with a 4.3 40-yard dash time zipped behind the Green Bay Packers and scored on this 76-yard torching. And the first-year wideout out of Southern Methodist got the better end of four-year veteran safety Dallin Leavitt.
Now, on the morning of Wednesday, August 17, Gray added another veteran to his building list of defeated defensive backs. But this one was once considered the face of his position.
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Gray Beating 8-Time Pro Bowler Goes Viral
Via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, Gray’s latest deep bomb from the arm of Trey Lance was versus Minnesota Vikings star Patrick Peterson during their Wednesday morning scrimmage in Eagan, Minnesota.
Is this the Packers preseason secondary? Trey Lance deep TD pass to Danny Gray, who beat CB Patrick Peterson. #49ers
Lance’s pass traveled 50 yards in the Minnesota air before falling into the hands of Gray — with Peterson trailing behind.
This is the same Peterson who not long ago, was called the league’s top cornerback by NFL Network personality and former perennial Pro Bowler DeAngelo Hall.
“Peterson, who is dominating much in the same way Darrelle Revis did before him, excels in man coverage and is also great in zone defense. Over the past few seasons, there hasn’t been much that offenses (or receivers, for that matter) could do to get the CB1 off his game. And as with all great cornerbacks, he’s seeing fewer targets thrown to his side of the field — but he often makes opponents regret it when they do test him,” Hall wrote back on July 29, 2019.
While it was during a scrimmage setting and not a live game, plus while that bomb took place during a 7-on-7 session, this is still considered a young wide receiver’s dream: To get the better end of someone who had dominated the league at his position for so long. It’s also considered alarming for the defeated CB, which will lead to fans and analysts debating on if Peterson has seen better days and may be losing a step or two.
And the reactions to the 50-yard masterpiece by Lance and Gray sparked some online reactions. One was from Jordan Elliott of SB Nation’s Niners Nation:
Danny Gray
The 49ers’ fan account @Coach_Yac also chimed in.
Danny Gray already torching the Vikings secondary. #49ers
H/T @Graham_SFN
Former NFL cornerback and Locked on 49ers podcast host Eric Crocker became convinced about the Lance and Gray union.
Lastly, David Liechty of All 49ers on Fan Nation shared how much separation Gray had against Peterson on that throw.
Another 49er Delivers Viral Moment in Dominating Fashion
Gray did his damage by air. Another 49er did his damage by land.
And that was third-year defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, with his online-grabbing moment caught in the trenches.
Via Brad Graham of @TheSFNiners, Kinlaw goes for the straight bull rush and buries this Vikings left guard during an 11-on-11 team drill:
49ers Javon Kinlaw just ATE this Vikings OLineman
The left guard on that play was Jesse Davis. Which means, Kinlaw bulldozed and smashed a 6-foot-6, 318-pound man who was the only Viking planted to the ground on that play.