After a stellar career that saw him go from a 2-star prospect to one of the nation's top centers, redshirt junior Erik McCoy became the fourth Aggie to skip their senior season and enter the 2019 NFL Draft.
McCoy started all 39 of the games in which he played and was never credited with giving up a sack. He was the one constant on a line that changed significantly over the past three seasons and was its most reliable member. He was groomed to play center from the day he committed, and was able to handle huge defensive tackles in the SEC with his own size (6-foot-4, 315 pounds). He was also a 2018 team captain and one of the program's most-respected members.
Strong draft status
McCoy was considered a 3rd round pick before the season by none other than his line coach, Jim Turner. He then went out and put together another strong campaign and is commonly considered one of the top three center prospects in the draft.
McCoy had trouble with snaps his first two seasons, but that problem was largely eliminated in 2018. He's a big center but has plenty of mobility, as we saw in the Gator Bowl as he pulled and served as the lead blocker for Trayveon Williams on several big runs. His pass protection is unquestioned, and he's extremely intelligent.
McCoy has another big plus on his resume: he's also got the size to play guard in the NFL today. Many scouts believe that's where he'll eventually end up, but others want to see him at center.
Regardless of where he ends up, McCoy is likely to do well in the 2019 NFL Draft. He could go as high as the third round, but probably won't fall a whole lot farther than that.
Center competition wide open
McCoy's departure, while expected, remains a big loss for the Aggie offensive line in 2019. There are a few possible replacements for him, though their experience at the position is limited.
The first possibility is Ryan McCollum, who served as the backup center for much of this past season and came in in McCoy's place when the starter was injured against Auburn. If McCollum takes over, both guard spots will be open this spring.
Another possibility is Colton Prater, who has also played some center and was the third-string center this past season. Barton Clement, who has not played a college snap but has been groomed to replace McCoy since he arrived last summer, should also get a look.
