Florida football EDGE LJ McCray to have foot surgery Monday, per report

Florida football will be without one of its most promising young defenders for the foreseeable future. Sophomore edge rusher LJ McCray is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday on his right foot, according to a report from Swamp247's Graham Hall.

The Gators have not provided an official recovery timeline, leaving his return date uncertain as SEC play approaches.

McCray suffered the injury during Florida 's 18-16 loss to South Florida on Saturday and did not return. The setback is a blow to head coach Billy Napier's defense, which already struggled to generate consistent pressure in the disappointing loss in the Swamp.

At 6-foot-6-inches and 268 pounds, McCray was expected to be a major piece of the Florida defensive line rotation in 2025. As a true freshman last fall, he played in all 13 games, finishing with 13 tackles, five quarterback hurries, 1.0 tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks.

A former five-star recruit from Daytona's Mainland High School, McCray was graded as the No. 1 defensive line recruit in the nation by On3 and picked the Gators over Miami, Florida State and Georgia .

The injury raises even more questions about the program, this time about their depth up front, just as the schedule stiffens with a road matchup against the LSU Tigers . Florida football's margin for error is extremely thin at this point, and losing one of its rotational defenders adds even more pressure as the program looks to rebound in SEC play.

For now, the Gators will wait for further updates after McCray's procedure.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football EDGE LJ McCray to undergo foot surgery, per report