Former Clemson WR Ray-Ray McCloud revisits decision to turn pro early
Former Clemson receiver Ray-Ray McCloud knew from the moment he stepped foot on the Clemson campus that he was leaving after three years and heading to the NFL.
McCloud recently appeared on “Getcha Popcorn Ready” on Fubo Sports with Terrell Owens and revisited his thought process during his time playing for the Tigers.
“I told myself from the jump going into college I was three-and-done. Just confident in my ability on the field,” McCloud said.
However, as he revisits that choice now, he does have some regret.
McCloud wasn’t drafted until the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft, landing with the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps if he would have stayed another year, he could have improved his draft stock.
“I feel like if I had to go back, I would’ve stayed one more year,” McCloud said. “Because when I got drafted to Buffalo… my first two years I was in dark places. I was depressed. I was fighting a lot. I wasn’t happy.”
During McCloud’s final season at Clemson, as a junior, he started all 14 games, finishing with 49 catches for 503 yards. He also had 25 punt returns for 303 yards and a touchdown. McCloud played limited snaps on defense that year, too. There were some who believed he might be a better cornerback than receiver in the NFL.
“Coming out of college, I played both ways. That’s one of the reasons I left early, because I had spent so much time that sophomore-junior year honing in on my craft, getting better at receiver,” McCloud recalled.
“When I was getting ready to leave, I had a higher grade on defense. I only played defense on third down, big games. Like we played Georgia Tech, coach said I ain’t going out there. But that’s one of the reasons I [didn’t stay] because I was like, ‘Man, I’ll have to learn a whole new position again.’”
McCloud got off to a little bit of a slow start in the NFL, but he has since found his place.
He has gotten more and more opportunities in the NFL as his career has gone along. Last season with the 49ers, McCloud averaged a career-high 10.8 yards per punt return. McCloud also averaged 23 yards per kickoff return and caught 14 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown.
How Dabo Swinney helped Ray-Ray McCloud ‘so much’ when he was at Clemson
Ray-Ray McCloud signed a two-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of last season, and he is entering his sixth year in the National Football League after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills.
McCloud recently appeared on “Getcha Popcorn Ready” on Fubo Sports with Terrell Owens and praised Dabo Swinney for helping him get to where he is today.
“Me and Coach Swinney are tight to this day,” McCloud said. “What you see, that’s what he is. What he is showing on his interviews and what people see who really don’t get to meet him, that’s who he really is. If he don’t like you, he’s going to let you know.”
It’s not that Swinney didn’t like McCloud, but he did feel like the speedster didn’t always play up to his potential. Swinney pushed McCloud to get better and work harder during practices. It paid off.
“For me, I had a whole spring where the whole team was calling him my dad,” Ray-Ray McCloud recalled. “‘Oh, your son is acting up Coach Swinney!’ And he was like, ‘Don’t worry about it. I’m not taking my foot out of his ass all spring.’ He used to tell people that and that is what really got me going.”