Florida 5-star DL commit LJ McCray, elite 4-star safety Zay Mincey visit Miami

Coral Gables is set to be a recruiting hotbed this weekend as Miami hosts Louisville at Hard Rock Stadium in a crucial ACC clash.

Plenty of high-profile prospects are expected to be in attendance on Saturday afternoon, and two of the Sunshine State’s best in the 2024 cycle have arrived.

Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland stars, 5-star defensive lineman LJ McCray and four-star safety Zay Mincey, made the in-state trek to see the Hurricanes take on the Cardinals. Mario Cristobal and Co. have been consistent in their recruitment of both elite athletes.

Two inconspicuous faces in the crowd. 5⭐️DT LJ McCray and Daytona Beach Mainland teammate and 4⭐️ safety Zay Mincey arrive at Hard Rock for today’s game against No. 9 Louisville pic.twitter.com/xIx1uI58wi

— CaneSport Miami Hurricanes (@CaneSport) November 18, 2023

McCray committed to Florida over Miami, Florida State, Auburn and Georgia on Oct. 21. Mincey remains on the board as one of the top uncommitted prospects in the nation and continues to stay firm on his early January decision announcement.

The chance to make another impression on McCray — the No. 25 overall prospect and No. 5 DL in the cycle — is major for the Hurricanes. Florida has lost momentum on the recruiting trail, and as Miami fights for Mincey’s pledge, it should hope the pair opt to join one-another at the college level.

“McCray committed to Florida over Miami earlier this fall, but not enough people understand just how optimistic of a position the Hurricanes were in just before he committed to the Gators,” Miami recruiting insider Stephen Wagner wrote earlier this week.

Florida State is also making a hard push to flip McCray, as he was in Tallahassee last weekend. The Seminoles are also in the running for Mincey, though Florida, Miami and Alabama are the teams most-often mentioned in his recruitment with National Signing Day right around the corner. Mincey is the No. 65 recruit and No. 4 safety in the On3 Industry Ranking.

McCray, Mincey Scouting Summaries

McCray — “Big-framed, athletic defensive lineman with pass rush ability. Has translatable physical attributes and athleticism at the position that point to a high developmental ceiling. Measured in at over 6-foot-6, 260 pounds prior to his senior season. Has outstanding length and a large frame. Arms check in at 34.75 inches, with hands measuring 10.5 inches. Lines up as a big defensive end on Friday nights. Shows upside as a pass rusher, using first-step quickness to get into the backfield. Has high-end closing speed for a player of his size. Plays with a very encouraging level of physicality. Bullies offensive linemen on contact and finishes plays with violence. Works to get off blocks with vigor. Also sees time as a tight end. Finished his senior season with 17.5 tackles for loss. Can continue honing his technical skill as he fills out and grows into his body.”

Mincey — “Tall, athletic and versatile defensive back with signs that point to a high developmental upside. Measured at over 6-foot-2.5 and around 180 pounds prior to his senior season. Has plus length with a wing-span over 6-foot-7. Primarily lines up at corner for his high school team. Shows good coverage instincts. Undercuts routes to make plays on the ball. Runs well in coverage and stays attached on vertical routes. Can flip his hips as a taller defensive back. Uses his length to disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage and make plays on the ball. Can track and locate the football over his shoulder. A three-sport athlete. Backs up his athleticism in track and field with a 6-4 high jump and 43-foot triple jump. Also plays basketball for a team that made a deep playoff run. Needs to continue adding strength and can improve his tackling. While widely viewed as a safety, could feasibly play as a bump and run cornerback in certain schemes.”