Jeremiah McClellan flips to Oregon on National Signing Day
TOWN & COUNTRY, MISSOURI – CBC senior wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan has some lofty goals for his college career.
“I want to go win a Biletnikoff and be the best wide receiver in college football,” he said Wednesday.
But first the Cadets’ standout – who helped CBC win two Missouri Class 6 championships and finish as the runner-up in his three years as a starter – had to figure out where he can do that.
McClellan committed to Ohio State on August 13 but had a change of heart in the final hours before he could sign with the Buckeyes. Instead, the St. Louis native will head to Oregon.
“It was really tough,” McClellan said. “I really made the change this morning. What really stuck on me was Coach (Ryan) Day and Coach (Brian) Hartline, just how they recruited me and stuff like that. I really, really loved Ohio State. But I felt like the relationship I built with Coach (Dan) Lanning and the whole entire staff at Oregon, I just felt more supported there and felt like it was home.”
A 6-foot, 190-pounder, McClellan is a four-star prospect rated as the No. 49 overall prospect in the country – and 13th-best wide receiver – in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
McClellan became the top offensive recruit in Dan Lanning’s recruiting class, which was rated by 247Sports as the fourth-best in college football behind Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee and just ahead of Ohio State.
“It was a really tough decision,” McClellan said, “but I felt like in the end goal I feel like what Lanning is building at Oregon, I feel really comfortable with it and I feel like we can go win a national championship.”
Rated as the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2024 in Missouri in the 247Sports Composite rankings - behind Lee’s Summit North defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri (Missouri signee) and St. Louis University High wide receiver Ryan Wingo (Texas) – McClellan capped off his high school career a few weeks earlier with his third state championship game appearance with the Cadets.
McClellan and CBC were attempting to become the first school since the 1970s to win three straight state championships in the Show Me State’s largest classification, but fell short of that goal.
Still, McClellan is proud of what he accomplished with the Cadets while he looks forward to starting his career with the Ducks.
“I had a great coaching staff,” McClellan said. “I’m really happy about the bonds I made – the brotherhoods that I made with my brothers. So I know I came up short (of a championship) my last year, but I couldn’t be more proud of my team and Coach (Scott) Pingel and the coaches and when it says ‘brotherhood’ it really means a brotherhood. That’s what I’m the most proud of right now at CBC and my career at CBC.”
McClellan was one of three seniors to sign on Wednesday at CBC: defensive back Doreon Dubose signed with Illinois State University and offensive lineman Bryce Parson, a four-year starter at left tackle for the Cadets, signed with Ohio University.
CBC football Signing Day
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive Sports
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- Nate Latsch | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveMiz
