SI All-American Candidate Lake McRee Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Lake McRee
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 217 pounds
School: Austin (Texas) Lake Travis
Position: Tight End
Committed to: USC
Projected Position: Tight End
Frame: Good height. Below-average width across the upper body. High waisted. Long, tightly-wound legs with an under-developed trunk. Ample room for additional mass and muscle all-around.
Athleticism: Above-average speed and explosiveness at best. Posted 28.4-inch vertical at The Opening in 2019. Fluid athlete. Flexible hips and ankles for size; little wasted motion adjusting on move. Good ball skills. Flashes functional play strength for high-school level.
Instincts: Natural pass-catcher. Tracks ball well in air. Has a rare ability for a tight end to contort body, make tough catches. Physical and willing blocker, but must improve strength. Occasionally loses base. Not much of a threat in the open field.
Polish: Limited experience after missing the entirety of junior season due to knee injury. Shows immense promise as route-runner, attacking the entire field and utilizing head and shoulder fakes. Finds soft spots in zone coverage. Needs to vary releases off LOS. Must get stronger.
Bottom Line: USC pounced after McRee de-committed from Texas in February, putting full confidence in a player who hasn’t taken the field since 2018. McRee’s lack of experience and strength make him a project, but a tights end with his natural movement ability are rare. Assuming full health he projects as a productive, multi-year contributor for the Trojans.