Five-Star DE, Gators Commit LJ McCray Returns To Florida State For Final Time Before Signing

The Early Signing Period is closing in as class of 2024 prospects will be able to sign their Letters of Intent beginning on Wednesday, December 20. Florida State has built one of the top recruiting classes in the country with 23 verbal commitments and the coaching staff is still looking to add more prospects to the fold.

One of the Seminoles’ top remaining targets regardless of position is five-star defensive end LJ McCray. Though he’s been pledged to the rival Gators since October, Florida State has continued to make him a major priority.

The efforts paid off with less than two weeks until pens to go to paper as McCray stopped by campus the day after winning a State Championship with Mainland High School. Recently in Tallahassee less than two months ago for his official visit, it was more of the same during his couple of hours meeting with the staff.

“I was in town. I just wanted to stop by,” McCray said to NoleGameday’s Dustin Lewis. “I feel like the last bajillion times I’ve been here was kind of the same message. Everything has been consistent the whole time, the same message.”

The normal contingent of coaches along with a special face – star defensive end Jared Verse – greeted McCray at the door to begin his unofficial visit. The two have spent some time together during his last few trips to Florida State.

“I’ve seen him the last few times I’ve been here. He’s a super humble guy, super down to earth,” McCray said. “He’s super cool, a nice person to meet for sure. Definitely a person you can talk to about things for sure. He’s super genuine so he’s not going to be like, ‘Oh come here, come here.’ He’s going to tell you to do what’s best for you.”

With Verse likely moving to the professional level to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, the Seminoles are going to have plenty of snaps to replace next season. That doesn’t necessarily matter to McCray as he believes he can get on the field anywhere he goes.

“I’m a super realistic guy so I feel like knowing the person that I am, I can kind of fit into any situation and adapt to what I need to in order to get onto the field,” McCray said. “I don’t feel like any school I looked at was, ‘Oh, this guy is leaving. I can come here.'”

The Florida native has built relationships with head coach Mike Norvell, defensive ends coach John Papuchis, and defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins. Norvell has been recruiting him for so long that the two usually don’t even talk about football anymore.

“Most of the time we talk, it’s not really about football, it’s not really about coming to Florida State,” McCray said. “It’s just regular conversations, he’s been recruiting me for the past two years so it’s just all about the things we talked about.”

McCray is headed to Auburn for an unofficial visit. He doesn’t have plans set in stone for next weekend but might end up taking a trip somewhere.

At this time, McCray remains solid with the Gators and is planning to sign on December 20 during a ceremony at his high school.

“I committed for a reason,” McCray said. “It kind of took me a minute because I wanted to make sure that’s where I wanted to be.”

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound defensive lineman is regarded as the No. 6 overall prospect, the No. 2 DL, and the No. 3 prospect in the state of Florida in the 2024 class according to 247Sports.