A Look at What Bru McCoy’s Immediate Eligibility Means For Tennessee

Earlier in the day, Tennessee learned the fate of coveted transfer of receiver Bru McCoy as the NCAA ruled in favor of McCoy to have immediate eligibility for the upcoming season. We take a look at what this means for Tennessee in this article. 

Depth

Anytime a player is available for your team, it obviously adds depth. For Tennessee, it is much needed depth. Following the loss of JaVonta Payton and Velus Jones to the NFL, the Vols need reliable pass catchers on the edge. McCoy’s presence provides just that. He is a sure-handed target with phenomenal upside. If he hasn’t won the wide receiver job opposite Cedric Tillman to start the season, he bolsters a spot that will feature Ramel Keyton, Walker Merrill, Chas Nimrod and Kaleb Webb, allowing Tennessee more confidence to settle in through rotational work. 

Excitement

USC did all it could to hold McCoy up, despite publicly making comments in attempt to divert attention away from them. Since McCoy entered the transfer portal in the Spring and made it to Knoxville for a visit, there has been excitement with in the fan base. McCoy is a once-coveted recruit that ranked inside of the top ten nationally. He appears to be a perfect fit for Tennessee’s offense and will likely become an ideal complement to Cedric Tillman. If he plays at the level he is capable of , there are plenty of reasons for excitement about Tennessee’s offense in 2022. 

Physicality 

Finally, when you see McCoy in person, there is no denying that he is a genetic freak. He is 6’3, 215lbs and looks like he has been chiseled out of granite. Despite his size, he moves insanely well and embracing contact. A source in attendance at Tennessee’s second preseason scrimmage described McCoy as a “bulldozer for DBs” when the ball is in his hands. He seeks out contact and imposes his will on smaller defense backs. He can do this at the line of scrimmage, down field in jump ball situations and once the ball is in his hands. Opposite Cedric Tillman, who has eerily similar traits, McCoy can create a nightmare for opposing defenses. He is a solid blocker which will create space for Tennessee’s speedy receiver in the screen game, an aspect the Vols routinely rely on. In this conference, physicality is everything and McCoy embodies it. The Vols want more of it, and he should provide it when he is on the field. 

McCoy will see his first action at Tennessee this upcoming Thursday as the Vols host Ball State in the season-opener.

Photo Credit: Calvin Mattheis