Four-Star DL LJ McCray names Top 5

Four-star defensive lineman LJ McCray of Daytona Beach (FL) Mainland High narrowed his list to 5 schools Friday morning. 

The 6-foot-6, 260 pounder is down to the following: Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, and Miami.

McCray discusses finalists

Auburn

The university of Auburn stands out to me because of their close family feel around the staff and the relationship I have with coach Garret. Coach Garret is a super detailed coach/person who I feel can develop me on and off the field. I also like the city of Auburn and the people in it.

Florida

I like the University of Florida because it’s close to home and I have built up a great relationship with Coach Napier, Coach Armstrong, Coach Peterson, and coach Spencer. They have done a good job of recruiting me along with my class of 2024. Coach Napier is doing a great job changing the culture and rebuilding the program.

Florida State

Florida State is special to me because they were one of the first power 5 schools to truly recruit me hard. I have also created a relationship with Coach Norvel, Coach Fuller, Coach Odell & coach Jp. Coach Odell and one of my high school coaches were teammates and good friends. Along with him being a genuine straightforward guy, I know I would be in good hands and taken care of. 

Georgia

Georgia speaks for itself as they are back to back college football champs. There isn’t much to not like about Georgia, especially if you are an elite competitor. The Dawgs are consistently developing players and helping them get to the next level. Coach Scott has done a great job of recruiting me and is a proven coach from the development aspect. Just from being around Coach Smart and talking with him about Georgia, it’s clear he bleeds it. He truly cares about the school along with the program and doing things the Georgia way which makes the program’s success come naturally.

Miami

Since I was born in south Florida and my dad was a  coach for Bethune Cookman, I grew up watching the canes play so it’s a unique experience to now be recruited by them. Coach Cristobal, Coach Jason Taylor, and Coach Joe Salave’a have also done a great job of staying consistent in my recruiting process and being down there. I love the tropical feeling and the city of Miami. It would also be a great opportunity to be coached by a Hall of Famer in Coach Tayler and with Coach Salave’a playing years in the NFL. The coaching room has a first hand experience of doing it at the highest level. Coach Cristobal is a proven program changer and has impacted every school he has been to. With the last Miami recruiting class, the program is definitely on the rise.

McCray ranks as the No. 89 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He also tabs in as the No. 13 defensive lineman and the No. 15 player in the state of Florida.

He currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $104K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.