Florida redshirt sophomore defensive end LJ McCray has earned national recognition by being named to the 2026 College Football Comeback Player of the Year watch list on Thursday.
McCray, a former five-star prospect from Florida's 2024 recruiting class, endured a difficult 2025 season. After missing time during fall camp with a knee injury, McCray returned to action but suffered a broken foot against South Florida in Week 2, which knocked him out for the rest of the season.
The defensive lineman's 2025 season came after a promising freshman campaign in which he appeared in all 13 games without using his redshirt. He finished the season with 13 tackles, including one tackle for loss, while beginning to establish himself within Florida's defensive front.
Now healthy, McCray has received plenty of praise from his teammates and Florida's new coaching staff throughout the offseason. He reflected on the challenges of missing nearly an entire season and how the experience helped him mature.
"It definitely hurt me a lot. I mean, no one wants that to ever happen, and I put my head down to work to get back, and then for that to happen, four plays in, hurt me a lot," McCray stated during fall camp.

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