LJ McCray signed his letter of intent to the Florida Gators football team Wednesday evening.
The defensive lineman ranks sixth in the 2024 top football recruits pool according to 247 Sports. On3 places him third in the top recruits bid and first for top defensive line recruits.
The 6-foot-6-inch Daytona Beach native weighed offers from Georgia, Florida State, Miami and Auburn, visiting each school unofficially throughout the season.
He verbally committed to Florida Oct. 21 and upheld his decision on early signing day. His letter of intent signing was scheduled for Wednesday morning, but the defensive lineman pushed his announcement to later in the day.
As a senior at Mainland High School in 2023, McCray left with a record of 80 tackles and 13 sacks. He helped carry the team to their first state title since 2003 as a full-time defender.
In 2022, he expanded past the defensive line and became a key two-way player. Defensively, McCray had 47 tackles and three sacks. Offensively, he totaled 14 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
McCray is the second 5-star commit to join Florida on Early Signing Day. He follows 5-star quarterback DJ Lagway in his signing.
The recruitment run wraps up Friday as head coach Billy Napier fights to build a solid team for the upcoming season.
The Florida Gators will play their 2024 season-opener against the Miami Hurricanes Aug. 31 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Contact Krisha Sanghavi at ksanghavi@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @krishasang.
Krisha Sanghavi is a third-year public relations and economics major. In her free time, she loves cheering on Miami sports teams and spending time with her friends.
