Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 34-17vs New Mexico State | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 1 | L 24-27vs SMU | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Deante McCray
Senior defensive lineman on Florida State's 2026 roster.
6′4″ · 291 lb · Jacksonville, FL · Sandalwood
CFB Index 17 · #386 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Florida State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
1 TFL · 3 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 TFL, 2 tackles, vs New Mexico State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman on Florida State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Western Kentucky in 2022.
- Transferred from Western Kentucky to Florida State in 2025.
Deante McCray
Wins his gap play after play. Two head coaches in five seasons, at two different programs. 2024 brought the first one: All-Conference USA. The receipt: 2 tackles, 1 TFL against New Mexico State — Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- Signed with Western Kentucky3-star out of Sandalwood
202414 games
The role got bigger.
- All-Conference USAhonorable_mention
20259 games
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-CONFERENCE USA
All-Conference USA mention (2024)
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2026
Florida State
Played his entire career under Mike Norvell.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022Western Kentucky9-5HC: Tyson Helton · Pass-leaning
2023Western Kentucky8-5HC: Tyson Helton · Pass-leaning
2024Western Kentucky8-6HC: Tyson Helton · Balanced
2025Florida State5-7HC: Mike Norvell · Run-leaning
2026Florida State1-1HC: Mike Norvell · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceFading
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Norvell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
17 · #386 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #386 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #68 of 73 ACC DLs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida State | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Florida State | 25 | 8 | 4.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Western Kentucky | 55 | 24 | 2.5 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Western Kentucky | 36 | 16 | 4.5 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Western Kentucky | 3 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 122 | 51 | 13.5 | 5.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 34–17
2 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 TFL
With A. Daniels — 202 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 72.0 · 30 rush yds (8 car) · 1 TD · S. Singleton — 42 rush yds (9 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Florida State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Florida State
Returning around him
- 1 Florida State player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -22 net (22 in / 44 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Florida State · Last season: 5-7 (AP #25) · Talent rank #21 · 2026 recruiting class #16
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dylan Horton’s 2021 season.
84%match
NFL Rd 4
Matches Dylan on
Weight
TFL rate
Hurry rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Merhauti Xepera's senior season at Fresno State (2025).
76%match
Matches Merhauti on
Sack rate
Weight
Height
Player DNA
Players who play like Deante McCray
Background
ACCOLADES: 2025: FSU Team Honors - Defense Newcomer of the Year...graduated from Florida State with sociology degree in Spring 2026 2024: All-Conference USA Honorable Mention 2023: Conference USA All-Freshman Team 2025 (Redshirt Junior): Played 12 games with two starts against Miami and Pitt...ha...
The defensive line · Florida State
- #3Mandrell Desir7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #8Deante McCray4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Daniel Lyons3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #88Jordan Sanders3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Rylan Kennedy3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
12 more on the roster · Florida State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology