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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A new coaching staff offered a clean slate for the football team this offseason. A handful of Florida Gators boosted their

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Gators Online Football

GatorsOnline

Stock up report: 5 Florida Gators trending after this spring

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Heading into the spring, first-year Florida coach Jon Sumrall had concerns about his defensive line, which had to replace three

Florida-Gators-Jon-Sumrall

How Florida coaches went from uncertain to confident in their D-line

GAINESVILLE — Following Tuesday’s practice — the Florida Gators’ 10th of the spring — head coach Jon Sumrall offered a clearer look at his roster,

Syndication: Gainesville Sun

Quick Hitters from Jon Sumrall's Tuesday presser

There's a picture coming together of the 2026 Longhorn offense. This is going to be a team that can play in multiple formations, will have an overall

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GAINESVILLE—You win and lose games in the trenches in the SEC, which is why there’s so much intrigue surrounding the Florida Gators’ play along the

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Gators practice intel: Defensive line impressions

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Football

Daytona Beach (Florida) Mainland coach Travis Roland isn't shy when asked who Lawal "LJ" McCray reminds him of. “I think he has that freakish Jevon Kearse length, size and speed,” Roland said. “He's a super flexible athlete. His bend is amazing. He puts in a lot of effort. You don’t see many guys at 6-7 that can get in a low-aggressive stance like him. You should see him in DB drills – the fluidity is amazing.” It's a good thing when your high school coach compares you to an NFL Hall of Famer. But it's easy to see why he earned such high praise. McCray never came off the field during his time at Mainland, playing defensive line, receiver, tight end and even H-back. He racked up 47 tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks while recording 14 catches for two scores in 2022. "He just takes over the game," Roland said. McCray's father, Lawal, is a former successful high school coach who has spent more than a decade coaching in the college ranks at Bethune-Cookman. In fact, it was his father that helped turn him on to football in the first place. “I always told him, I’m not going to ask you to work out,” Lawal told 247Sports. "You can come ask me all you want, and we’ll go work out. There were many days I was watching my westerns on TV after long hours at work and he’d say, ‘Daddy let’s go to the field. Let’s go lift weights.' He’s been very determined since the sixth or seventh grade. He wants to be the best at what he does.”

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LJ McCray

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Edge

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New York

Defensive Line

LJ McCray's big frame, athleticism and ability to disrupt as a run defender and pass rusher reminds us of fellow Mainland product and top ten pick, Leonard Williams. McCray is ahead of Williams at the same stage in their careers.

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