McGee makes commitment to UNLV
Jul. 4—Kayden McGee only knew of University of Nevada-Las Vegas from the NCAA Football video game, now he's planning on playing for the Rebels.
McGee committed Tuesday to play wide receiver at UNLV.
McGee, a Muskogee High School senior, picked the Rebels over scholarship offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State and Montana. McGee said UNLV is a good fit for him.
"So on my visit, it felt really good," McGee said. "First time being there it really felt like home and it didn't feel like they were just trying to be a first time thing, trying to just get me there. It felt like that's where I needed to be, and where they really wanted me."
McGee caught 37 passes for 734 yards and 14 touchdowns last season with the Roughers, who lost to Choctaw in the state semifinals.
His recruitment didn't pick up until after the season because in his sophomore season, he recorded four touchdowns. His junior year boosted him enough to receive several offers.
McGee's recruitment journey also gained traction with his participation in Sooner7, a summer team that traveled around the country and competed against other teams in front of recruiters.
"It played a big part of why I got recruited," McGee said. "It helped me get a lot of exposure. They really care about you as players and putting you on the map. I've been playing with them for three years, so it's been really good."
McGee said he didn't know much about UNLV prior to the Rebels' scholarship offer to his quarterback Jamarian Ficklin, who hasn't committed to any school.
"I really didn't know a lot about UNLV, I just knew they were a big school just seeing them on NCAA (Football video game)," McGee said. "I really started looking into them after they offered Jamarian. I know coach (Brennan) Marion, he's the offensive coordinator there. I've been following him, building a relationship since he was at Texas. He's one of the best receiver coaches in college football, so when he moved to UNLV that's when I really started looking more into them."
McGee is 6-foot-1-inch tall and weighs 165 pounds, lighter than the average 190-pound weight for a Division I college receiver, according to Next College Student-Athlete College Recruiting. But McGee said he, nor UNLV, cared about that at the moment, because that comes with the development.
"They didn't care about my weight or anything like that, they know it comes with the process," McGee said. "They know my skill set and what kind of player I am. So, it just felt like the place to be."
