LSU Country

Prized LSU Football Target, No. 2 Rated DL in Mississippi Commits to SEC Rival

Brian Kelly and Co. see the former LSU pledge make his decision, commits to SEC foe.

Zack Nagy

Courtesy of JaReylan McCoy's Instagram.
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Tupelo (Miss.) four-star defensive lineman JaReylan McCoy is in the midst of a critical stretch in his recruiting process with multiple visits being taken this offseason.

McCoy, the No. 2 rated defensive lineman in the Magnolia State, recently narrowed his focus to three programs with the LSU Tigers sitting alongside the Florida Gators and Texas Longhorns.

For Brian Kelly's program, there is familiarity between both the Tigers and McCoy with the Mississippi defensive lineman once being committed to the Bayou Bengals.

He pledged to the program at the Under Armour All-American Game in early January over the USC Trojans and Tennessee Volunteers, but quickly backed off of his pledge.

Since reopening his recruitment, the 6-foot-7, 245-pounder has become a hot commodity on the recruiting scene with multiple programs salivating at the potential he attains.

McCoy has been a productive player on the prep scene while logging 120 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks across three seasons of high school ball.

Despite the LSU Tigers battling for McCoy's services this offseason, he's now gone public with a commitment decision.

The four-star defensive lineman has pledged to Billy Napier and the Florida Gators after making the decision on Saturday morning.

Napier and Co. add the talented Magnolia State prospect with tremendous upside over the llikes of LSU, Texas and Ole Miss.

On3 Sports' Take: "Physically gifted defensive lineman with a huge frame and plus athleticism as a high school underclassman. has measured in over 6-foot-6.5 and close to 250 pounds prior to his sophomore season.

"Owns plus length for the position with 34.25-inch arms. Registers as a top athlete, running a 4.89 second 40-yard dash at Student Sports' All-22 camp. Lines up as a big defensive end for his high school. Physical gifts are readily apparent on Friday nights. Flashes good speed and functional movement skills.

"Closes to make some impressive plays. Has upside as a run defender, using his big frame to body offensive linemen. Still early in his development. Likely not done growing and could see his frame maxing out at north of 300 pounds. Size and athleticism make him one of the early top defensive linemen in the 2026 cycle."

For the LSU Tigers, the program currently holds the No. 2 overall recruiting class in the 2026 cycle and the No. 1 class in the Southeastern Conference.

At the defensive line position, the Bayou Bengals hold a commitment from the No. 1 defensive lineman in America: Richard Anderson.

The New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr standout pledged to the Tigers in 2024 with the program continuing to keep a foot on the gas for his services. He's fresh off of a monster junior campaign at Edna Karr after leading his program to a state championship victory.

The coveted lineman earned 5A All-State honors after tallying 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, two interceptions and a touchdown in 2024. He's the top pledge in LSU's 2026 Recruiting Class to this point.

More LSU News:

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LSU Football Holds Commitments From a Pair of Top-10 Wide Receivers in America

Brian Kelly's Take: LSU Football Searching for Ideal Starting Offensive Line Rotation

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of LSU Country, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Tiger Football, Basketball, Baseball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving LSU athletics. 

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