Bru McCoy, WR Tennessee: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

McCoy was a five-star wide receiver/athlete recruit from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. in the class of 2019

The Tennessee Volunteers had two wide receivers taken in the third round this past spring. Bru McCoy is in line to inherit many of those abandoned targets, but the redshirt senior needs to raise his stock if he wants to be a top 100 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Bru McCoy, WR Tennessee: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior outside receiver from Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Background: McCoy was a five-star wide receiver/athlete recruit from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 9 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 12 for Rivals, and No. 19 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 27th in the nation (four-star) with an 86 grade out of 100. McCoy originally committed to USC and enrolled there before transferring to Texas after 17 days because of Kliff Kingsbury’s departure. He went through spring practices with the Longhorns before transferring back to USC. McCoy transferred from USC to Tennessee for the 2022 season. In high school, he was the 2018 Maxwell Football Club Offensive National High School Player of the Year. McCoy also amassed a laundry list of other awards that year, including Max Preps National Player of the Year, USA Today All-USA First-Team, PrepStar Dream Team, Max Preps All-American First-Team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100, Cal-Hi Sports California Mr. Football, USA Today All-California First-Team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State First-Team, Orange County Register Fab 15, All-CIF Division 1 Offensive Player of the Year, Los Angeles Times All-Area Player of the Year, and Orange County Register Offensive Player of the Year. That season, he totaled 78 receptions for 1,428 yards with 18 touchdowns on offense and 13 tackles, including 6.5 for loss with five sacks, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles on defense. McCoy led the 2018 13-2 Mater Dei squad that won the prep national championship. As a high school junior in 2017, he earned MaxPreps Junior All-American Second-Team, USA Today All-California Second-Team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Juniors First-Team, All-CIF Division 1, and Orange County Register All-Orange County Third-Team honors. McCoy totaled 46 receptions for 770 yards and 11 touchdowns that year. He also compiled 23 tackles, two sacks, and a pass breakup. Mater Dei was a perfect 15-0 in 2017 and won the California CIF Division 1 title and the California State Open Division crown. McCoy made the Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomores First-Team in 2016 as he snagged 28 receptions for 407 yards and five touchdowns. He also made 13 tackles, including seven for loss with six sacks, and a pass breakup. McCoy’s father, Horace McCoy II, was a tight end at Northern Illinois in 1994. His mother, Shelby, was a record-setting setter on the Northern Illinois volleyball team. She earned All-Conference honors four times (1991-94). McCoy was born on June 22, 2000.

Injuries & Off-Field: Dealt with a hamstring injury in 2020 and early 2021, suspended from USC in 2021 after being arrested and charged with intimate partner violence with injury

Awards: N/A

Pros: Large frame with excellent mass, quick feet with long stride, instant acceleration off the line, good hip sink, quick and choppy feet at the top of his route, can plant his feet and flip his hips back to the QB quickly, excellent working back down his stem, in-and-up to freeze defenders, uses physicality to play through contact mid route, physical with DBs at the top of the route, occasional downfield presence, rarely drops the ball, extends to make catches outside his frame, control contested catches, some “jump ball” potential, works back to the QB when play breaks down, stiff arm, willing blocker with the strength to latch and drive DBs back

Cons: Under 25 career special teams snaps, minimal slot experience, a little high-hipped, doesn’t appear to have great arm length despite size, appears slower and less explosive now than he did at USC, not a burner, inconsistent ability to threaten defenses vertically, creates limited separation vertically, limited route tree at Tennessee, not many examples of sharp in breaking or out breaking routes, schemed touches in his big performances, takes too long to decelerate from full speed on comeback routes, jumps for catches unnecessarily, not twitchy or sudden, not shifty or elusive, doesn’t break many tackles with power, limited YAC option

Overview: McCoy boasts a large frame with excellent mass. He has fast feet and long strides that cover ground quickly. McCoy instantly accelerates off the line at the snap, which helps generate some vertical opportunities. However, the former USC Trojan isn’t a true burner and lacks the speed to separate downfield consistently. Instead, he primarily wins on slants and working back down his stem on comeback routes. McCoy sinks his hips at the top of his stem and uses quick, choppy footwork to decelerate and flip his hips back to the quarterback. He occasionally runs an in-and-up route with some success. McCoy uses his physicality to play through contact mid-route but could be even more firm in this area given his size advantage. The former five-star recruit extends to make catches outside his frame and rarely drops the ball. He offers “jump ball” and red zone potential with his size. McCoy works back to the quarterback when plays break down. He offers some potential to generate yards after the catch with his size, stiff arm, and speed, but a lack of shiftiness and elusiveness limits his production in this area. McCoy breaks a surprisingly low number of tackles despite his large frame. He’s a willing blocker with the strength to latch onto defensive backs and drive them out of plays. McCoy isn’t a versatile prospect. He played under 25 career special teams snaps entering 2023 and rarely sees time in the slot. The California native is a little high-hipped and doesn’t appear to have ideal arm length. He looks slower and less explosive now than he did at USC. McCoy runs a limited route tree at Tennessee and is schemed touches he won’t see in the NFL. He sometimes takes too long to decelerate from full speed on comeback routes. McCoy jumps for catches unnecessarily, which further limits his production after the catch.

Overall, McCoy could experience a significant statistical boost as he steps into a larger role with the Volunteers in 2023, but his current profile doesn’t match that of a high-volume receiver capable of creating at all three levels. McCoy’s traits match his production – they’re both intriguing but fail to reach the levels of a true top receiving option.

Role & Scheme Fit: X or Z receiver in an 11 personnel heavy scheme

Round Projection: Fifth Round

Size: 6'3", 221 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 04-03-23