Elite DT from SEC country ‘big on Michigan’ after unofficial visit

When you’re an elite player in the heart of SEC country, it takes a lot to pull you north. But for Kayden McDonald, Michigan football has that type of pull.

The Suwanee (Ga.) North Gwinnett four-star has offers from Georgia, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, and many others, but after making an unofficial visit to Ann Arbor this past weekend, he couldn’t help raving about both his trip, as well as the trajectory of the program when asked what stood out.

“I’d probably say everything – the facilities, the weight room, the staff. Oh my God, the staff – I love the staff!” McDonald told WolverinesWire. “The academics, a big thing – the No. 1 public university – and atmosphere, it’s just crazy.

“Yeah, I like the staff. I like Coach Minter. He coached in Georgia. We already knew each other well. Just beginning to talk to him more and more. I talk to Coach Elston all the time. He came to watch me practice. He told me before we left, ‘I want you to come play for me,’ and he meant that.”

Of course, the 6-foot-3, 310-pounder also got a chance to meet up with head coach Jim Harbaugh, who got a vote of confidence from the players he coaches.

“I talked to him a lot on Saturday. Great coach,” McDonald said. “Even players were telling me he’s a great coach. It’s really a player-led team, too, so he trusts in his guys as leaders, and I really like how that team is, Michigan – I think I fit well.”

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Academics are particularly important to McDonald, who hopes to study broadcast journalism (which would fall into the communications department at Michigan). But he’s also looking for a place that will be competitive, as well as get him on the field early.

Both things, he says, that Michigan offers.

“Opportunity to play early and get a degree and win championships – because Michigan, they will win a championship here soon, in the next 3-5 years.”

According to 247Sports, McDonald visited Florida on an unofficial visit on June 3, and he confirmed that he will be making it back to Gainesville this upcoming weekend. But he’s taking a visit to Clemson on Tuesday.

At the moment, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia, and NC State are the schools that are recruiting him hardest, and he intends on making a college decision in late-October.

But, he plans on coming back to Ann Arbor at least two more times before he reaches that point.

“I’m going to (the BBQ at The Big House) late next month. Gonna try to get back there,” McDonald said. “I’m gonna set up an OV for the Hawaii game. I’m serious with Michigan.”

McDonald is hoping to find a place that fits him culturally, which means having a solid base on the team as well as the student body as a whole. One thing about the Wolverines that stand out is that it isn’t a regional school — that there’s a lot of diversity on the team in terms of where the players come from.

That, mixed with culture, and the ability to see the field early, those are the most important things to him.

“I like Michigan a lot. They have a lot of out-of-state guys, that’s really big for me, a lot of out-of-state guys could come play for Michigan. That I really like.”

247Sports ranks McDonald as the No. 242 player overall, the 37th-best defensive tackle, and the No. 24 player in the state of Georgia.

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Story originally appeared on Wolverines Wire