Drew Gray enters his third season at Northwestern in 2026. Gray will take on the role of safeties coach after two years as the Wildcats’ nickels coach.
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Redshirt junior Braden Turner headlined the nickel corner room in 2026 under Gray’s tutelage. Turner started 12 games and posted 50 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and three pass breakups. He set career highs in tackles, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defended this season and was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He also became the first Big Ten player to record at least three tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup (11/15) since the 2022 season.
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In 2026, the NU defense allowed 19.8 points per game as a team, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 23rd in FBS. It marked the best scoring defense by a Northwestern team since 2020, and the best in a full season since 2015. Northwestern’s defense ranked fourth in the Big Ten, producing 20 total takeaways during the season (11 fumble recoveries, 9 interceptions), while the team’s 11 fumble recoveries also led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the nation.
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Gray arrived in Evanston after two impactful seasons as a full-time assistant at Samford, where he served as the cornerbacks coach. During his tenure, Gray played a pivotal role in a historic 2022 campaign, helping lead the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record, an undefeated 8-0 mark in Southern Conference play and the program's first outright SoCon title. Samford advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991, with Gray's secondary playing a key role in the team's defensive resurgence.
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Before being promoted to a full-time position, Gray worked in various defensive roles at Samford. In the fall of 2021, he assisted with the defensive backs, and in the spring of 2021, he served as a defensive quality control coach, working closely with the linebackers. In that capacity, he led meetings and drills, prepared scouting reports, assisted in game planning, and coordinated the offensive scout team.
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Before his time at Samford, Gray spent the 2019 season at Sioux Falls, where he coached defensive ends and mentored two all-conference selections. He also contributed as the assistant recruiting coordinator and coached special teams units.
A former standout player himself, Gray played at South Dakota, where he was a team captain and earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors twice. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from South Dakota in 2019.
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Redshirt junior Braden Turner headlined the nickel corner room in 2026 under Gray’s tutelage. Turner started 12 games and posted 50 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, an interception and three pass breakups. He set career highs in tackles, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defended this season and was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He also became the first Big Ten player to record at least three tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup (11/15) since the 2022 season.
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In 2026, the NU defense allowed 19.8 points per game as a team, ranking sixth in the Big Ten and 23rd in FBS. It marked the best scoring defense by a Northwestern team since 2020, and the best in a full season since 2015. Northwestern’s defense ranked fourth in the Big Ten, producing 20 total takeaways during the season (11 fumble recoveries, 9 interceptions), while the team’s 11 fumble recoveries also led the Big Ten and ranked 11th in the nation.
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Gray arrived in Evanston after two impactful seasons as a full-time assistant at Samford, where he served as the cornerbacks coach. During his tenure, Gray played a pivotal role in a historic 2022 campaign, helping lead the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record, an undefeated 8-0 mark in Southern Conference play and the program's first outright SoCon title. Samford advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991, with Gray's secondary playing a key role in the team's defensive resurgence.
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Before being promoted to a full-time position, Gray worked in various defensive roles at Samford. In the fall of 2021, he assisted with the defensive backs, and in the spring of 2021, he served as a defensive quality control coach, working closely with the linebackers. In that capacity, he led meetings and drills, prepared scouting reports, assisted in game planning, and coordinated the offensive scout team.
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Before his time at Samford, Gray spent the 2019 season at Sioux Falls, where he coached defensive ends and mentored two all-conference selections. He also contributed as the assistant recruiting coordinator and coached special teams units.
A former standout player himself, Gray played at South Dakota, where he was a team captain and earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors twice. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from South Dakota in 2019.