Josh McCray is a tank. There is really no other way to put it. When you see a 6-foot-1, 240-pound human being moving toward a defensive line with that kind of bad intentions, you don't think "finesse." You think "get out of the way."
But the Josh McCray Georgia football experiment was always about more than just a big guy running into a pile of bodies. It was a strategic masterstroke by Kirby Smart that mostly flew under the national radar until it was too late.
Honestly, the move from Illinois to Athens was one of the weirder portal stories of the 2025 season. You’ve got Bret Bielema basically hinting at tampering because McCray was on a flight to Georgia about twelve hours after hitting the portal. Whether it was "shady" or just efficient, McCray ended up being the specific tool the Bulldogs needed to fix their red zone woes.
The Short-Yardage Surgeon
Most people look at a guy McCray’s size and assume he’s just a "plunge" back. You know the type. Put his head down, gain two yards, fall over. But if you actually watched his 2025 season in Athens, he was surprisingly disciplined.
Kirby Smart didn't bring him in to be the next Todd Gurley or Nick Chubb. He brought him in to be the closer. Georgia has plenty of lightning—Nate Frazier and Dwight Phillips Jr. can outrun almost anyone on the field. What they lacked was a "hammer" who could consistently turn a 3rd-and-1 into a 1st-and-10 without the coaching staff holding their breath.
McCray finished the 2025 season with 138 yards and three touchdowns. On paper? Those numbers look tiny. People who just check box scores probably think he was a bust. They’re wrong.
Basically, McCray was the ultimate situational specialist. His value wasn't in the yardage; it was in the weight of those yards.
Look at the Tennessee game in Knoxville. Overtime. High stakes. The stadium is shaking. Georgia doesn't go to the star freshmen or the flashy receivers. They give it to the "big man" from Illinois. McCray hammers in a 1-yard score, game over, Georgia wins 44-41. That’s why he was there.
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Why the Illinois Departure Stung So Much
To understand why the Josh McCray Georgia football transition worked, you have to look at what he left behind. At Illinois, McCray was a hero. He was the 2024 Citrus Bowl MVP, tearing apart South Carolina for 114 yards and two scores.
He was the soul of that Illini backfield.
When he left, it wasn't just about losing a player. It was about losing a certain identity. Bielema’s "power football" brand relied on having a guy who could take the pounding of a Big Ten schedule. McCray had the pedigree, but he also had a history of being banged up.
He redshirted in 2022 after injuries. He missed most of 2023. By the time 2024 rolled around, he finally looked like the guy everyone expected. 10 touchdowns in a single season is no joke. But the lure of the SEC—and specifically the chance to play for a title at Georgia—was too much.
The NFL Draft Gamble
Fast forward to January 10, 2026. McCray officially declares for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Now, this is where the debate gets spicy. If you hang out on the Georgia message boards or Reddit, you'll see a lot of fans saying he's too slow for the league. They call him a "slow-motion" back.
It's true that he’s not going to win any 40-yard dash competitions at the Combine. He might even be the slowest back in the draft pool this year. But NFL teams are currently obsessed with "positionless" heavy hitters.
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Think about the way the 49ers or the Ravens use their backfield. A guy who is 240 pounds and can actually catch a pass out of the backfield is a valuable asset. McCray showed at both Illinois and Georgia that he’s a reliable receiver. He’s not just a bowling ball.
He’s a mismatch.
If a linebacker has to cover him in the flat, that’s a win for the offense. If a safety has to tackle him in the open field, that’s a hospital visit for the safety. He probably won't be a high draft pick—most scouts see him as a Day 3 guy or a priority free agent—but he has a very specific "NFL floor."
What Most People Get Wrong About His Role
The biggest misconception about McCray's time with Georgia was that he was "buried" on the depth chart.
In a world of NIL and transfer portal craziness, we expect every transfer to be a 1,000-yard superstar. If they aren't, we call them a failure. But football is a game of roles.
- The Goal Line Specialist: When the ball is on the 2-yard line, the defense knows what's coming. McCray’s job was to get it in anyway.
- The Protector: McCray’s size made him an elite pass-blocker. He kept Gunner Stockton clean on more than a few third downs.
- The Culture Guy: Even as a one-year rental, teammates raved about his work ethic.
He took 51 carries in 2025. That’s about 4 carries a game. But those 4 carries usually happened when the game was on the line.
The "Tampering" Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the Bret Bielema comments.
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"Somehow he found his way to the portal and 12 hours after being in the portal he was on a flight to Georgia," Bielema said. "I don't know how that happened but it's crazy."
That’s coach-speak for "someone talked to my player before they were supposed to."
But let’s be real: this is the 2026 landscape of college football. Everyone is talking to everyone. McCray was a graduate transfer. He had put in his time, got his degree in communications from Illinois, and wanted a shot at the biggest stage.
Was there "back-channeling"? Probably. Does it matter now? Not really. It’s just how the game is played. Georgia needed a short-yardage replacement for Branson Robinson, and McCray was the perfect fit.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 NFL Draft Cycle
If you’re a fan following McCray’s journey into the pros, here is what you actually need to watch for as the draft approaches:
- The Weight Factor: If McCray shows up to the Combine at 245+ pounds, he’s telegraphing a move to Fullback or a H-Back role. If he trims down to 230, he’s trying to stay at RB.
- The Bench Press: This is where he wins. He needs to put up massive numbers to prove his "power back" status is legitimate.
- The Special Teams Value: To make an NFL roster, McCray has to be a monster on kickoff coverage and punt return blocking. His size makes him a natural fit for this.
- Scheme Fit: Look for teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, or Miami Dolphins. These are teams that value versatile, heavy-bodied players who can block and catch.
Josh McCray’s legacy in the Josh McCray Georgia football era won't be about Heisman trophies or record-breaking stats. It’ll be about the guy who did the dirty work that nobody else wanted to do. He was the hammer in Kirby Smart’s toolbox. And sometimes, you just need a hammer.