LA defensive tackle a hot target

Los Angeles (Calif.) Washington defensive tackle Lavon McCoy is not only one of the biggest – all 6-foot-3 and 338 pounds of him – but he's one of the best interior linemen in Los Angeles in the class of 2008.

McCoy is very athletic for a big man. He also plays basketball and that helps his feet. He is very powerful and has no match on the high school level. In the weight room, McCoy benches 430, squats 600, power cleans 225 and has recorded a 27-inch vertical. McCoy earned all-city honors as junior for his performance on the defensive side of the ball.

It's those impressive athletic numbers that have already gotten one SEC power to make a call to him in the spring evaluation period.

"I got one call so far and it was from LSU," McCoy said. "They called a week ago right when they could start. They just told me that they're going to come down to school for spring practices, and they want me to come out for their camp so they could offer me."

McCoy said he enjoyed his conversation with D.J. McCarthy, a recent addition to the LSU staff who was at UCLA before making the move to Baton Rouge. It's very clear that McCarthy is going to work hard on Los Angeles and try to give the Tigers a presence there.

"He's a really cool coach to talk to," McCoy said. "I'd be flattered if they offered me."

While he doesn't have any official offers yet, McCoy definitely has been getting plenty of attention from the major players out West. He's been talking quite a bit on his own with Bruin assistant Eric Scott and he also met face-to-face last week with Trojan head coach Pete Carroll.

"Coach Scott and I have been talking for a while," he said. "I'll call and talk to him all the time. I met up with Pete Carroll last Wednesday. I was like man, 'am I really talking to Pete Carroll.' He was excited about me. He said come to the elite camp that they're having and things with an offer will work themselves out."

Arizona, Duke, Oregon, Cal and UNLV are other schools sending him regular mail and texting him.

"I'd definitely like to hear more from Arizona and Cal in general," he said. "I know they both have really good programs."