Among the area’s top football prospects doubles as a basketball standout.

Darius Gray is a difference maker in sneakers as well as shoulder pads for St. Christopher’s School in Richmond’s leafy West End.

“He’s really quite remarkable,” said Saints’ veteran Coach Hamill Jones of his precocious, 16-year-old sophomore. “He’s so powerful, yet so graceful.

“As big as Darius is, he can grab a rebound and dribble himself into the front court.”

Gray wears red and gray jersey No. 74 in football and No. 35 in hoops. At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, he’s hard to miss at either hangout.

The son of Angelena and Decarlo Gray is best known nationally as a two-way lineman on the gridiron.

Earning first-team All-Prep, All-Metro and All-State this past fall, he already has full scholarship offers from the likes of Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia Tech and Virginia.

On the hardwood, Gray plays a power center spot for a squad that also includes 6-foot-3 VCU commit Brandon Jennings.

Starting the season 10-2, St. Chris won the 804 Coaches for Change tournament over Hermitage, 67-51, at the Henrico Sports & Event Center.

They were just warming up for bigger and better.

Last Friday’s stunning upset over John Marshall ranks as perhaps the school’s greatest victory ever.

Gray transferred to St. Chris as an eighth-grader from Manchester Middle School in Chesterfield.

As a sophomore, he’s averaging 13 points and eight rebounds while also having an intimidating defensive presence near the hoop.

Offensively he sets broad-shouldered picks that stifle opposing defenses.

“Darius and Brandon (Jennings) are very effective on the pick ‘n’ roll,” Coach Jones said.

Gray’s cousin, EB Brandon, is an athletic guard in Jones’ rotation. Gray’s and Brandon’s mothers are twin sisters.

“Perhaps the only reason Darius might not be a top college basketball prospect is because he’s such a huge prospect in football,” Coach Jones said.