FLORIDA RECRUITING: Gators Land 5-Star DL LJ McCray

The Gators have had their eyes set on five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray for quite some time, but now it pays off. The Daytona Beach (Fl.) native announced his commitment to Florida on Saturday.

McCray was potentially the most coveted remaining target for Billy Napier and the rest of the Florida recruiting team. He is ranked as the No. 1 and No. 2 DL in the country by On3 and 247Sports respectively.

Over the course of his recruitment, McCray made a total of seven visits to Gainesville, highlighted by his June 2 visit, the same weekend that other notable prospects were in town including DJ Lagway.

"I really talk to a lot of the coaches there," McCray said of Florida. "Coach Napier a lot, but I would say Coach [Sean] Spencer and Coach [Mike] Peterson have been the ones I have talked to the longest. I talk to them evenly. Since Coach Armstrong has gotten there. I probably talk to him more than anyone at Florida now. Since he's been there, I think I am one of the first guys he called."

The Mainland High School (Fl.) product narrowed his options down to a top five, which saw Florida joined by Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Miami. However, people within the Florida program believed that Georgia was their biggest threat heading into Saturday.

Florida picked up a lot of momentum in the days and hours leading up to the announcement, with On3's recruiting prediction machine swinging in the Gators' direction. Additionally, Zach Blostein of 247Sports submitted a Crystal Ball prediction on Friday in favor of the Orange & Blue.

Adding McCray is huge for the Gators, who are currently boasting a top-3 recruiting class according to both On3 and 247Sports. Florida is also in need of reinforcements on the defensive front. With the commitment from McCray, the Gators' 2024 class is up to commits.