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He was one of Kentucky’s earliest commitments, but Florida cornerback Blake McClain admits he was having doubts about the Wildcats long before coach Joker Phillips was fired.
The 6-0, 185-pound McClain took official visits to Iowa State and Pittsburgh when Kentucky was without a head coach and turned down a chance to visit Arkansas. However, he went all-in with Kentucky again once Mark Stoops, the former Florida State defensive coordinator, was named UK’s new head coach.
“I am really excited. I can’t wait to get up there,” said McClain, who plans to sign Wednesday on the first day of the national signing period. “I was very familiar with coach Stoops. He had recruited me at Florida State and came to practices. He was one of the first ones I called when he got the Kentucky job, so I was real excited about that.
McClain said he liked the “environment, fans and campus” a lot at Kentucky and was worried about what he would do when Phillips lost his job.
“But when Stoops called, I was locked in again,” he said. "Coach Stoops is so defensive minded and said I was definitely the type of player who would fit into his scheme. That really made me want to stick with him and Kentucky.”
McClain knows about handling adversity as a player. He transferred to Winter Park High School for his sophomore season and the team went 11-2 and came within two games of winning the Class 8-A state championship. However, his final two seasons were not as good and last season Winter Park with 4-6 and missed the playoffs. McClain had 60 tackles and three interceptions, including one he returned for a score, last season (he had nine career interceptions). He also had two receiving touchdowns.
"With the depth chart the way it is at Kentucky, I think I have a chance to play as a freshman,” McClain said. “As a player, I am versatile and smart. I am a ballhawk. I think I can definitely help next year.”
Rivals.com ranked him as the nation’s No. 63 cornerback and ESPN has him as the 65th overall safety. He’s also viewed as a potential special teams player. He also had scholarship offers from Louisville, Pittsburgh, Illinois, South Florida, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, Rutgers, Boston College, West Virginia and several others.
“He is surprisingly athletic,” Chris Hays, recruiting coverage coordinator for the Orlando Sentinel, said. “He played wide receiver on offense and does a lot of different things. He can pick the ball and do a lot of things athletically to get back to the end zone. He’s good at returning kicks. He’s a tremendous kid from a good family and will be a good locker room type guy for Kentucky.”
McClain said he played running back before he was moved to defensive back as a sophomore.
“I am a real quick guy and can run. I have good football speed,” McClain said. “I think I have good instincts, too. I am a good hitter and tackler. I can play in the box and come down and make tackles or still cover. I like all of that stuff.”
McClain, who plays guard in basketball, is one of 10 Florida players committed to Stoops’ first UK recruiting class.
“I think that definitely will help Kentucky football. This can be a pipeline for Kentucky with coach Stoops,” McClain said. “I think it definitely will help Kentucky football to add so many Florida guys.
“Coach Stoops has changed the whole perception of Kentucky football. He’s bringing a new energy, and I am real excited to be part of that.”
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