Is LJ McCray a senior? Closer look at Florida player's NCAA eligibility 

LJ McCray has been impressive for the Florida Gators so far this season. Despite the Gators' recent struggles, the defensive lineman has been able to put out some brilliant performances.

McCray is far from his senior season in college football. The former five-star recruit just began his freshman season in Gainesville in 2024 and has three to four more years of eligibility remaining, depending on whether he gets to redshirt this season.

With his performances so far, the probability of McCray redshirting is low. He's fast becoming important on the Gators’ defense and looks bound to get better. With the program struggling to get results, there's little chance of not having him on the field to try and make a difference.

LJ McCray’s commitment to being a better player

One thing that has enabled LJ McCray to build up his talent is his commitment to the game. The defensive end has possessed the ambition to always get better right from his high school days and he has a father – who is a college football coach – to guide him through it all.

“I always told him, 'I’m not going to ask you to work out,'” Lawal McCray 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," he added.

McCray was named in On3’s Preseason True Freshman All-American list and he's already living up to the billing with the Gators this season, proving to be a major recruiting win for the team.

LJ McCray has a lot of respect from his high school coach

The defensive end attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Florida. He was an important player for the Buccaneers during his time there, earning him the respect of his coach Travis Roland (via On3.com):

“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."

With his performance on the Florida defense, LJ McCray is fast earning the respect of his coaches in Gainesville too. He is anticipated to be a top prospect in the team for the next couple of seasons as the Gators look to find their way back to the top.