Two chicken breasts and a bowl of rice explain why Jaylen McClain has seen a fast rise as a freshman in Ohio State’s safety room.
Every morning before spring practice, he’d be in the office of safeties coach Matt Guerrieri eating a nontraditional breakfast arrangement of the three items, building both his body and his craft.
“He doesn't act like a freshman,” Guerrieri said. “What I mean by that is, we talk about routine a lot. He’s a guy who wanted to gain a little bit of weight in the spring, so he would be in my office at, I don't know, I'd say probably no later than 5:30 in the morning in the offseason, eating two chicken breasts and a bowl of rice. He doesn't love breakfast food, so that was his, ‘Hey I'm going to make sure I'm eating breakfast.’ It was prepared by the nutritionist every morning.
“But literally 5:30 to 5:45 he was doing that every morning. So that's an example of just a maturity level and a seriousness about what he wants to get done here.”
McClain wasn’t the most heralded prospect from Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class, certainly not attaining anything resembling the volcano of hype erupting around Jeremiah Smith. But he’s already seemed to surpass older players on the team’s safety depth chart as the team tries to establish depth at the position behind Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom.
“McClain has really emerged as a guy who’s gonna have to be ready to play,” defensive coordinator Jim Knowles said. “You’ve got two guys that are unproven and still learning and every day in practice is a learning experience for them and a challenge, particularly if they get to go against our best receivers. Our safety depth needs to come along.”
Entering Columbus as the No. 373 prospect and No. 36 safety in the 247Sports composite, McClain was the 14th-highest-rated recruit Ohio State signed in 2024. He’s not looked the part of that standing since his arrival on campus.
McClain made his first big waves with an interception in the Buckeyes’ spring game. He built off that play with an impressive preseason camp to date, standing out during practices open to the media and becoming the third freshman to shed his black stripe.
“He didn't come here and waste any time,” Guerrieri said. “That's our job is to find the guys that want it that way and the guys that have the mentality and give them the tools to be successful.”
Jaylen McClain picks off fellow freshman Julian Sayin in the spring game. pic.twitter.com/04OHiSVXBB
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) April 13, 2024
Guerrieri noted it’s the same discipline that had McClain in his office eating chicken and rice before sunrise that has led to his on-field rise.
“It's that same seriousness,” Guerrieri said. “So if you're going to be that way about your diet, you're going to be that way about the playbook too. So whether we put him in a coverage or a blitz package or whatever it is, he's going to know that. Obviously he has freshman bumps along the way, hey the game's moving fast or we got a motion we didn't expect or things like that, and it's my job to have him ready to go. But he has that seriousness, he has a real approach and a routine.”
McClain’s veteran teammates have noticed his dedication too. Ransom noticed his drive from his first days on campus.
“When he first came in here, he was all about his business,” Ransom said. “You could see right away he was someone who was focused. Whatever school he came from, they knew what they were doing because he came in right away and got acclimated with us and he’s been making a lot of plays ever since.”
Safety is the top concern depth-wise on Ohio State’s defense. Downs and Ransom make for an elite starting tandem, but behind the starters, it’s rising sophomore Malik Hartford and no one else who’s put much on tape to this point in their college careers.
McClain’s climbed that depth chart, seeming to pass second-years Jayden Bonsu and Keenan Nelson Jr., the South Carolina transfer, from Knowles’ comments on Thursday. Hartford and McClain were also the first names out of Guerrieri’s mouth when discussing the next wave at the position.
“Jaylen, Malik, there's been a pool of guys that have done a really good job competing this camp,” Guerrieri said. “I know Jim talked about it the other day when he had his press conference with you guys, of just growing the depth of the safety position. I knew coming here that was a critical thing. You've got these guys that are battle-tested at the top, but as the season goes you've got to have more than just a couple guys. So that's been a huge point of emphasis for us.”
Ransom sees a lot of similarities between Downs and McClain in preparation. Both are film junkies and playmakers with a good work ethic.
“I think (he has) a lot of similarities to Caleb,” Ransom said. “Just come in and be a professional, quiet, put his nose down and just grind. And that's what he's done. And he's reaped the benefits of making a lot of plays, so I'm excited to see what he does.”
Such a comparison can only be a positive sign of what McClain can provide, both off the bench this year and for future Ohio State teams.
