2024 South Florence OL Nate McGee Hoping to Fulfill Lifelong Dream of Playing at Clemson

Kids growing up dreaming of playing football for the school they spent their childhoods rooting for is a story as old as time.

While some kids can only dream about it, others have the talent and work ethic required to try and make those dreams ultimately become a reality.

One of those kids is in-state offensive lineman Nate McGee. The 2024 prospect out of South Florence High School recently attended one of Dabo Swinney's camps and outside of going to a couple of spring games in the past, it was McGee's first opportunity to really experience the campus of the school he grew up pulling for.

"I thought it was mind-blowing how, like, crazy it was," McGee told All Clemson. "The facility especially, seeing how big that thing was. And seeing all the equipment they got in there, it was just amazing and remarkable."

McGee is hoping that his trip to the upstate to learn from some of the best coaches in the country will be the first step in a process that leads him to play collegiate football at the highest level. He plans to take what he learned to heart and put it towards improving as a football player.

"I need to work on, when I'm pass blocking, after I launch my first punch, going back and resetting and moving my feet more," McGee said. "My first punch on the pass block was good, reach blocking was good and my footwork was good."

The rising junior is not only dreaming of one day playing for Swinney and the Clemson Tigers, he also dreams of being the first in his family to play football at the next level. Although, McGee also has his sights set higher than just playing football.

"Being the first in my family to go play ball at the next level, I know it would make my family proud," McGee said. "Not to mention the academic program is amazing. Football means a lot to me but school always comes first. Knowing that Clemson has an amazing academic program and will open up a lot of different opportunities for my life will always be a blessing."

However, McGee knows that before any of that, he's got two more seasons of high school to work on and perfect his craft in an effort to start drawing college offers. At 6-foot, 280-pounds, McGee projects to play at either guard or center at the next level, both of which he's already played during his high school career with the Bruins.

When the time does come, though, and if McGee were to ever get that coveted offer from Clemson, he already has a good idea of what it's going to feel like due to all that childhood dreaming he's done.

"Getting an offer would be a blessing and one of the greatest things to ever happen to me," McGee said. "It's always been my dream to go play college ball. I've been watching and cheering for Clemson ever since I've watched football. Clemson easily has one of, if not the best, college programs in the nation, and getting an offer from them would be incredible."