In pursuing fresh content, I’ve realized that the growing college fantasy space covers many topics. Whether it be instant reactions to the last week of games, betting tips, or waiver wire pickups. There are excellent resources for all three (recommending The Devy Dose if you’re looking at video content), but I strive to go deeper.
This is The Watchlist, not quite a waiver wire article, but a preview of players you should watch out for in games to see if they can elevate your squad. Most of the fantasy leagues I play in are Campus to Canton (C2C), so this will lean that way, but these players are likely just as interesting in CFF or CFF Dynasty.
Drae McCray – WR – Texas Tech
I’ve been advocating for drafting Drae McCray for the last month. I think he has an insane upside in college with one of the most pass-heavy offensive coordinators in the country. And I believe he has an elite NFL trait: his speed.
Here’s me talking about McCray on July 31st on The Devy Dose.
History
Let’s start with the offense. Zach Kittley’s air raid started at FCS Houston Baptist, where the Huskies ranked second in pass yards per game in 2019 and totaled 35 TDs. In a shortened 2020 season, Houston Baptist threw for 1,833 yards and 15 TDs in just FOUR GAMES. Following that ridiculous 2020 pace, Kittley joined Western Kentucky as their OC, where former Houston Baptist QB Bailey Zappe also transferred in. The pair lit up the world in 2021 as Zappe broke the single-season record for passing TDs and yards. Kittley moved to Texas Tech while Zappe went pro, and the Red Raiders didn’t take the massive jump many expected, but they saw steady progress. Per Campus2Canton, Kittley’s Texas Tech offense jumped from a 40% neutral situation pass rate before his arrival to a 60% neutral situation pass rate in his first season. This is a Red Raider offense willing to air the ball out and get WRs the ball in space.
Drae McCray perfectly fits the profile of a WR that you want to get out into an open space. McCray was a member of the 2020 recruiting class, where he signed with Austin Peay University. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected his recruitment, and there’s reason to believe he would have impressed if given the opportunity. In high school, McCray was an absolute track star. He ran a 10.33 (lightly wind-assisted) 100m dash and a 21.5 200m while finishing in the top 2 in every Florida 1A track event he competed in.
Present
This speed immediately translated onto the field at FCS Austin Peay, as McCray posted 784 yards on 53 receptions with 7 TDs as a true freshman. He showcased his yards after the catch (YAC) ability, accounting for 6.7 YAC. He didn’t slow down in 2022, either. His sophomore stat line saw a staggering 114 targets, of which he caught 76 (66.7%) for 1,022 yards and 9 TDs. He did even better after the catch, adding 8.1 YAC on average. McCray wasn’t just beating up on FCS DBs either; in his second college football game, McCray caught six passes for 87 yards against Ole Miss. Then, in 2022, he caught seven balls for 90 yards and 2 TDs against FBS Western Kentucky and finished his season with 12 receptions on 15 targets for 92 yards against Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s annual late-season tune-up game.
In addition, it isn’t just his speed that makes McCray a weapon with the ball in his hands. Per PFF, McCray led all FCS WRs in forced missed tackles with 25 on the season. Recruited out of HS as an RB, McCray is an actual weapon with the ball in his hands.
Following these two FCS seasons, McCray received P5 offers from several teams needing help. This list included Oregon, Colorado, Virginia Tech, and Maryland. However, Kittley’s offense and the ability to feature McCray enticed him to join the Red Raiders. Since joining Texas Tech, the young WR has received rave reviews, and with Texas Tech releasing their Week 1 depth chart over the weekend, he’s already earned a role as the starting H receiver.
OC Zach Kittley spoke highly of transfer Drae McCray at spring practice today. #WreckEm #TexasTech
Kittley goes on to say he might be one of the fastest Tech has seen since Jakeem Grant. 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/AuSeUEHTi6
— Faith Douglass (@faithdouglassss) March 24, 2023
Future
The one pause I have with McCray is his size. He’s not tiny by any means, but he measures in at either 5’9″ or 5’10”, depending on who you ask. The number of WRs who make it in the NFL at that height is slim. However, McCray’s speed and elusiveness align him with the other short kings who have made it in the NFL. Wan’Dale Robinson and Rondale Moore have been Day 2 NFL picks recently. McCray may not be as strong as Rondale, but he still makes men miss like Robinson and Moore do. In addition, the one superstar NFL WR under 5’10” is Tyreek Hill, proving that speed has no height constraints. While McCray would likely lose in a footrace against Cheetah, he would still be in the upper echelon of NFL WRs regarding speed.
I see Drae McCray as a super exciting Campus to Canton league pickup. He could light up the CFF side and offer exciting NFL potential if he does perform in the Big 12.
