Luther McCoy set to join Gophers in 2021

Dec. 9, 2020: The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers’ football team received a verbal commitment from 2021, defensive lineman Luther McCoy.

 

Early National Signing Day is almost a week away, but P.J. Fleck and the Gophers’ recruiting team is putting some final touches on their 2021 recruiting class before then. 3-star defensive lineman, Luther McCoy was the latest to grab an oar and jump in the boat. McCoy, a Saint Augustine, Florida native chose Minnesota over other top schools like Florida State, Penn State, and Tennessee.

Standing at 6-foot-4 300 pounds, McCoy is rated as the No. 60 DT in the country according to 247sports, which ranks him as the #122 overall recruit in Florida and the #1,117 overall recruit nationally. He’s the 18th commitment for the Gophers 2021 class, which currently ranks No. 22 nationally and No. 6 in the Big Ten Conference. McCoy joins Deven Eastern, Austin Booker, and Jacob Schuster as a very interesting defensive line class for 2021.

The 3-star DT will need some time to develop in Joe Rossi’s defensive system, but he flashes potential every time he steps on the field. As a senior for Creekside High School, McCoy totaled 44 tackles and five sacks. He also finished with eight quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, and a blocked kick in only nine games. McCoy was injured for his first two years of varsity football, limiting his recruitment. It is very possible that the Gophers have found a diamond in the rough.

McCoy played predominantly as a 1-technique, or straight on nose tackle, but he will likely play as a traditional 3 or 5-technique defensive tackle for the Gophers. He relied heavily on his absurd size in high school, not showing many pass-rushing moves. Refining those moves in the Gophers’ system will be something that I imagine to be a point of emphasis in McCoy’s development as a player.

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