The Clemson Insider recently caught up with a four-star prospect with whom Clemson has shown interest and started to build a relationship.
East St. Louis (IL.) 2023 offensive tackle Miles McVay offered a great deal of insight on his current recruitment process, his budding relationship with Robbie Caldwell and what he’s looking for in a school at the next level.
First, he gave his impressions on Clemson’s veteran offensive line coach, who he speaks with frequently.
“He’s very genuine,” McVay said of Caldwell. “He has a great tradition, with him being a more older coach. He has his traditions and stuff like that. So, it’s kind of good to know that when you come you’ll see what you’re going to get. He’s also a very upfront, very honest guy. That’s one thing you can ask out of your coach is, to be honest with you.”
Clemson and Caldwell are taking the opportunity to get to know McVay, which he certainly values and respects. He understands that Clemson’s recruitment philosophy can be a drawn-out process, but knows that there’s definitely sincerity behind those conversations he has with Caldwell and the rest of the staff.
“It’s something you really appreciate as you get deeper and deeper,” he said. “If you’re blessed to get deeper and deeper into the recruitment process, it’s something that you start to appreciate. A lot of schools throw offers out and they kind of don’t talk to you until Signing Day or around that time when it’s close to your chance. But, with them, they kind of talk to you when they start liking you or when they hear about you. Then, they start building from there.
“The process is a little longer, but I would prefer my coach knowing me, liking me, knowing what I can do when I come in than me basically having to come in with a fresh new staff. That’s kind of a good thing.”
Whether it’s the summer or spring, McVay has marked a Clemson visit in 2022 as something that’s on his to-do list.
“Of course, they want me to come down, come visit, see me in person and meet all the coaches,” he said.
When he eventually makes his way down to The Valley, McVay will already have a connection to the program. His now-former high school teammate, Toriano Pride, is a four-star cornerback signee, who will enroll at Clemson on Jan. 8, 2022.
“He talked about [Clemson] all the time when we talked about it at school,” McVay said of Pride. “He talked about the great culture. He just likes the atmosphere. He said he likes how it feels like home. That’s one of the main things he talks about — that home feeling.”
McVay had an interesting way of breaking down his recruitment — he’s in Phase 3 out of 5.
Phase 1: The Blowup
Phase 2: Starting to take visits
Phase 3: In the process of cutting down his list
Phase 4: Evaluation process
Phase 5: Commitment
McVay wants to have fun and enjoy his process. He wants to see what each and every school that recruits him has to offer. He also has a fundamental understanding of the business side of college football. If this offseason is any indication, a coach could leave for another opportunity, get fired, or retire, all in the blink of an eye.
He doesn’t see the point in rushing into making a decision before you absolutely have to.
“My dad always told me not to rush into stuff,” McVay said. “His favorite saying is when it comes to stuff like this you always gotta look at seven houses before you buy one, especially if you’ve never bought a house before. So, in this case, you only get recruited once. It’s only happening one time. I’m just taking it in, enjoying the process, enjoying talking to the coaches and all that.”
Using that analogy, once you go house hunting, you start looking for what you want in a home. That also applies here to McVay, who has started to outline some of the more important factors he’s looking for in a school at the next level.
“That’s actually what I’ve been doing right now,” he said. “Outlining and trying to figure out what’s not for me and what is. Some examples would be that home feeling. I’m not a very homesick person. I’d go anywhere across the country…that home feeling is one thing, that atmosphere. Also, coming to realize that every place isn’t going to be how it was at home. Once you start learning that, you start figuring out what you want. You can’t be great in a place that you’re not comfortable in. If I’m not comfortable being there, how am I supposed to give you my all?
“You start looking towards what they have to major in. Do they have what you want to be for the rest of your life? Because you never know what God has in store for you. Football may not work out, injuries, you never know. Another big one is, do they fit how I play? I tend to be a very technical person. I like to show all my skill sets. I’m not just a run-heavy guy, a pass-heavy guy. I can get out on screens, I can do pass-blocking, run-blocking, I can pull. Do they utilize me and show all my assets and not just one side of it?”
McVay, who is ranked by Rivals as the No. 5 offensive tackle in the nation for the 2023 recruiting class, already has plenty of suitors at the next level, as he currently holds 22 scholarships — 20 of them coming from schools within the Power 5 conferences.
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