Florida battling for 4-star teammates LJ McCray, Zay Mincey
Plenty has gone in favor of Billy Napier and Florida on the recruiting trail as of late. The Gators’ class now ranks No. 3 in the nation in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking.
A total of 22 commits make up the class, 16 of whom are of blue-chip status. Marrero (La.) John Ehret four-star cornerback Wardell Mack is the latest pledge to join the fold, having committed on Aug. 14. He’s one of six top-100 overall prospects in UF’s class, per the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
McKinney (Texas) five-star safety Xavier Filsaime and Willis (Texas) five-star quarterback DJ Lagway headline what continues to become an illustrious class, but Napier and his staff aren’t done trying to add elite talent. An in-state school just a couple hours down the road from Gainesville could provide another pair of Gator commits.
Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland four-star defensive lineman LJ McCray and four-star safety Zay Mincey are both being heavily recruited by Florida. Gators Online recruiting insider Corey Bender joined On3’s Inside Scoop recruiting show to break down where the Gators stand with the pair of Sunshine State prospects.
Florida, FSU “buzzing” for LJ McCray
McCray, the No. 46 overall prospect, No. 9 DL and No. 7 player in Florida in the cycle, has taken a heap of visits to Florida, totaling six, including an official visit in June and a return trip in late July. Miami, Auburn and Georgia also received summer OVs.
“I think he’s a kid that likes a lot of different schools, a good three or four, but it’s very tough on him, really trying to find that separator between that one and the other few,” Bender said of McCray. “I think right now, Florida, Florida State and Georgia — those are the schools that i’m focused on the most. Miami and Auburn, they were a part of his official visit plans as well, but for much of this year, Florida and Florida State have been the schools buzzing the most. Once Georgia gets a kid on campus, especially a nationally-ranked kid like (McCray), that’s a school that can get a kid on campus just once and everything changes.”
While the Seminoles didn’t receive an official visit, they still may have the upper hand on every other program involved. McCray has a mid-season OV set with FSU for Oct. 7 for a game against Virginia Tech. It will be his third trip to Tallahassee, but Bender sees it as a potentially playing a huge part in Florida State’s chances to land the coveted lineman.
“I think one thing to keep an eye on right now is the Florida State OV in October,” Bender said. “I always was giving FSU the slight edge, there’s always been a certain connection with that staff. All his other OVs, he got to spend time with the staff. For this OV, it’s gonna be a game day environment, Tallahassee is going to be rocking and that can make a lasting impression on his recruitment, depending on whether or not they win or lose that game. It’s a very tough recruitment, I like Georgia, Florida and Florida State, but the Seminoles are positioned pretty well right now.”
Florida fighting in Zay Mincey’s “unpredictable” recruitment
While neither recruitment appears to be clear cut with the 2024 season nearing it’s beginning, getting a read on who’s in the lead for Mincey has proven challenging for all involved. Florida, Miami and Florida State all received official visits in June, though the Gators have gotten the No. 131 prospect and No. 9 safety in the cycle on campus more than their in-state foes.
Florida has the lead for the defensive back, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). Back in April, Bender logged a pick for UF to land Mincey, accompanying it with a 65% confidence level, though he acknowledges the pressure applied by other programs as the recruitment continues to linger.
“I think right now, it’s another recruitment that’s pretty unpredictable,” Bender said. “I don’t think there’s anyone that really has a true idea of what (Mincey) is gonna do. He’s a fairly well-reserved kid. Florida has been the most consistent, I put in a prediction several months ago, and a lot of it had to do with him not really traveling out of state as much, he’s been to Florida more than any other school. But as it’s gotten closer to the start of the season, Miami has kind of surfaced as another school for him, you’ve got Florida State … and you’ve also got a school like Alabama.”
The Hurricanes are the latest team to make waves, with some thinking a commitment to Mario Cristobal‘s team could even be right around the corner. Bender sees patience being the best medicine for the Gators moving forward as they try to beat the Canes.
“Florida and Miami are the schools i’m monitoring the most. A little bit more with Florida right now, because they’ve been the most consistent, but there definitely has been a little bit of Miami buzz as of late, I think they’ve definitely closed ground on Florida, but I think as of today I like where Florida stands the most. As the fall aligns and he takes visits, I think that can definitely change, but I think Florida fans just have to be patient here, they’re still in a very good spot for Zay Mincey.”
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