2025 defensive lineman Jeramiah McCloud talks Mississippi State decision
On Saturday, Gadsden County (Fla.) High School’s Jeramiah McCloud got his first in=person look at Mississippi State’s program. Just 24 hours later, the 2025 defensive lineman decided to join the Bulldogs’ Class of 2025 and announced his intentions on Sunday evening.
With his decision, McCloud becomes the third commitment for State in the 2025 class, joining quarterback Kamario Taylor and linebacker AJ Rice.
“I just felt like it was a great fit,” McCloud said. “I talked to my mom and my coaches about it and I felt like it was the right fit.”
On Sunday evening, McCloud delivered the news to a couple of Mississippi State staffers and obviously, it was exciting news to deliver.
“I told Coach Courtney Williams and then Coach David Turner,” added McCloud, who had 57 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks this past season. “They were excited and they pushed for my commitment during my visit and they want me there. Coach Turner said I would probably be an interior guy and at my school, I play defensive end and defensive tackle.”
McCloud got a good view of State’s program on Saturday along with his family. He noted of that experience and what his day detailed.
“That was my first time to visit and it was nice and everything was good,” recalled McCloud. “They showed me the campus and then we watched some film. I got some advice from the coaches to help me better my skills. We did the photoshoot, ate a good lunch and then went to the basketball game.”
Of course, McCloud also experienced his first conversations with head coach Jeff Lebby this past Saturday.
“It was a great experience being around Coach Lebby,” noted the 6-foot-4 and 285-pound McCloud. “He is a pretty good head coach and we had good talks. He told me to keep a level head about everything and to just trust the process.”
For much of the day, McCloud was with Turner. They discussed McCloud’s abilities on the defensive front along with breaking down film, which turned out to be the highlight of McCloud’s visit to Starkville.
“It was great with Coach Turner,” added McCloud. “He was talking about my skills and everything. He was giving me advice about my game to help me with my craft. He was also telling me some things I need to do to touch up my game and it was all helpful.
“My favorite part was being with him (Turner), especially when we were watching film. He showed me what they do in practice and all of the guys he has sent to the league, guys like Chris Jones. So my 1 on 1 time with him was the best part.”
McCloud holds over a dozen Division 1 offers and that includes Power 5 offers from Mississippi State, Tennessee, Miami, Louisville, Georgia Tech and Maryland among others.
And with his early decision on Sunday, McCloud feels confident about the timing of his commitment.
“It is early but I feel very confident about it,” McCloud said. “Everything just felt right on that visit and I connected well with the coaches. I will be back there for the spring game and I feel like I made the right decision.”
