Cleveland's McCoy takes JUCO route, commits to Papago Pumas

RIO RANCHO — A Cleveland Storm football player headed to the collegiate level is a common sight. But for Tayvon McCoy, his journey is not your standard college jump.

Announced last week, the senior defensive back revealed his commitment to the Papago Pumas of the Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, a JUCO program located in Arizona.

“I started my recruiting process in my sophomore year. I started by messaging coaches and getting camp invites,” McCoy said. “By the middle of my junior year, I had narrowed down schools that I liked the most. At the start of my senior year, I got my first offer, and Papago, I felt, was the right choice for me.”

McCoy joins a long list of members of the 2025 class set to play football at the next level, but he is the first to head down the JUCO route. While it is a common sight in the athletic world, some may ask: What is JUCO?

“JUCO is a way for players to better develop their skills for two years and get more exposure to transfer to a higher level of football,” McCoy said. “JUCO is an amazing opportunity to get noticed by bigger colleges.”

Junior college, better known as JUCO, is indeed a stepping stone to the four-year colleges. Under the National Junior College Athletic Association, these universities provide chances for athletic and academic development without using up NCAA/NAIA eligibility.

The JUCO launching pad for athletic careers can be traced all the way back to Roger Staubach in the 1960s, playing at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell before winning a Heisman Trophy with the Navy Midshipmen, all the way to present day with Heisman finalist and Volcano Vista graduate Diego Pavia playing at NMMI as well before his days with the Aggies and then Commodores. 

This route may be perfect for McCoy, who had to fight for playing time in Cleveland’s championship-level depth on defense. While he is now a multiple-time state champion, the future Puma looks at each and every opportunity as a big one.

“This past year has taught me that when you get an opportunity to play, make sure to take the opportunity,” McCoy said.

From the beginnings of his father’s college football past, watching the NFL and even playing “Madden” as a child, McCoy’s upbringing has been ingrained with football every step of the way. But as he prepares to head out of Cleveland this spring, this is still only the beginning.

“After all these years, it feels really rewarding to make it to the next level,” McCoy said. “But the work is not finished, there is still a lot of work ahead of me, and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

McCoy credits his father, who is now a sports performance specialist, along with his coaches at Cleveland and beyond, for pushing himself to this point in his young career.

So, wherever JUCO may lead him, one thing is certain: This is not the final step in the journey.

“What I would tell my past self is to have fun, don’t take anything for granted, and work hard,” McCoy said. “Also, listen to your dad; he is going to support you no matter what.”