Report: Gators' Edge Rusher Sidelined to Injury

After a true freshman campaign in which he recorded 13 total tackles and half a sack, the former five-star has been touted as a breakout candidate for the Gators after a strong offseason.

"LJ, honestly, he probably had one of the best offseasons out of anybody," strength and conditioning coordinator Tyler Miles said at the start of camp. "He gained like 40 pounds in each one of his lifts, PRed by 40 pounds. You can see it now in his arms. He’s more thicker with more muscle. He had a phenomenal offseason. Really, I’ll say this, last season, offseason, LJ was in his first year. The weight room wasn’t his favorite, but he really attacked it this year. Whether he likes it or not, he didn’t show it because he took every day seriously. At the end when we kind of started testing things, he wanted to go after bigger numbers. LJ had a phenomenal offseason.”

Florida's staff has also seen McCray carry over the offseason weight room improvements to the field during fall camp as he acclimates to the Jack linebacker position behind George Gumbs Jr. McCray spent his freshman season at the F end position behind Tyreak Sapp.

"He's got a tremendous skill set," defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said. "Very talented. Yeah, you can see the growth, potential what he did. He changed his body and all that stuff.

"What I see on the field, I'm hoping, again, I think it's sometimes to this point you can jump ahead, and not trying to put pressure on a player. And you want to see them do it in the season and do that. But I would suspect and I'm hoping he has a break-out season and he's an impact player that we all think he can be. I think he can do that."

McCray is the latest injury to happen in fall camp with quarterback DJ Lagway still limited by his calf injury and receivers Eugene Wilson III, Dallas Wilson and Aidan Mizell all suffering lower body injuries recently.

Lagway, who returned to throwing in a practice setting, still has not participated in an 11-on-11 setting in practice, is currently on track to return by the season opener on Aug. 30, while Wilson III and Wilson are day-to-day and week-to-week , according to head coach Billy Napier.

Florida is also without running back Treyaun Webb due to a hamstring surgery, although he could return to the field as early as the SEC opener against LSU on Sept. 13.

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