Jordan McFadden reveals importance of playing close to home

It’s not important to every 18 year old to attend college near home. Any number of factors can lure a blue-chip athlete away from their hometown to play the sport of their choosing for the team that best suits their needs. For Clemson offensive tackle Jordan McFadden, it was one of the deciding factors

“It’s been genuinely amazing,” McFadden said. “Growing up in South Carolina, always being a Clemson fan, I take a lot of pride in my performance and how I play. Being from South Carolina, so many people are rooting for me, cheering for me.

“I think I owe it to them to go out there and put my best foot forward day in and day out each weekend. I take a lot of pride in being from South Carolina and wearing that helmet.”

McFadden has been a Tigers fan for as long as he can remember. The redshirt senior played his high school ball just 68 miles from Memorial Stadium at Dorman High School. McFadden came out of high school as an industry consensus three-star recruit, but has since blown up as one of the most efficient offensive tackles in the nation.

“A guy being an hour down the road, he grew up watching Clemson,” Clemson offensive line coach Thomas Austin said. “He knows what Clemson’s about and he’s a great ambassador for our program.”

Although McFadden’s 2021 season didn’t go the way he, or his team expected, finishing as Cheez-It Bowl victors instead of their usual place atop the college football mountain, his final season of eligibility is one where the Tigers are expected to regain their national prominence – and McFadden will be a pivotal part of that effort.

“This is what I came here to Clemson for. To compete for championships, to grow as a man and become a real leader thanks to Coach Swinney,” McFadden said. “I truly am where I want to be.”

Clemson’s first step on their road to redemption comes in the form of ACC foe Georgia Tech on Monday, Sept. 5 on the road in Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium.