Football is a fast sport. Within a few seconds on the field the entire complexity of a game can be changed based on the results of a single play. Red Raider Speed is a philosophy that second year head coach Joey McGuire has adopted and emphasized in his time as the lead man. No player could embody that idea more than Austin Peay transfer wide receiver Drae McCray.
The Tallahassee native was a two year starter for the Governors before entering the transfer portal on Nov. 30, 2022. After finishing his sophomore season, McCray was a hot commodity coming out of Austin Peay, evidenced by the 15 D-I offers he received the day he entered his name into the portal.
The offer from the Red Raiders was the first that McCray announced. Finding talent early has become a theme synonymous with the Tech recruiting staff with high school prospects, and even the college transfer McCray fit that mold. After a lengthy recruiting process, McCray found his home.
“The recruitment process was crazy,” McCray said. “I remember waking up and my phone was just buzzing for hours. I took visits to Cincinnati and West Virginia. And then I took a visit (to Tech) as well. I think I made the right decision coming here. The culture and the relationships I had with the coaches here already, just knowing that this is a system that fits me well.”
The usual college football viewer might not know who McCray is coming from an FCS program, but there is one team that got acclimated to his game: Alabama. Though the game ended as expected- a 34-0 Crimson Tide victory- the game itself did more for McCray and his confidence. Targeted a total of 15 times, seven of which came in the first quarter, McCray went on to finish with 12 catches for 92 yards. Even playing against one of the most dominant programs in the sport, McCray saw what he was capable of.
“I think that game I just treated it like it was any other game,” McCray said. “... We didn’t come out with a win but, I think that was something I just went out there and tried to play my best… I think it’s gonna be fun (playing against high level competition). That’s part of the reason I left Austin Peay because I was confident in what I could do against bigger teams. And that’s something that I want to show people and prove to myself.”
After missing a potential “big play guy” in 2022, the Red Raiders could look to McCray to be the player to fill that void. That idea is not lost on the junior either however, as he takes the next big step in his career.
“(Biggest strength), I would say probably more of a deep ball threat. But I can also catch it short and then take it the distance, just because of my speed and things like that. So I’m just finding different ways to use my speed and find ways to make plays. Just find a way to help the team win. Whatever I can do, do it with a smile on my face and just be the best teammate.”
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