And The Valley Shook’s staff writer Anthony Parker caught up with Williamson High School’s 3-star Cornerback Julian “Juju” McDonald, who is currently committed to Mississippi State but shared a little piece of news that will make LSU Tiger fans very happy.
AP: I’m AP, and I’m sitting down with Juju McDonald, a rising three-star prospect out of Mobile, Alabama. Juju is currently committed to Mississippi State, but LSU and Corey Raymond have definitely set their sights on him.
Advertisement
Juju, I want to ask you this real quick. Why do you love football?
Juju McDonald: Its just something I always grew up around. My grandpa played in the NFL, my dad played in high school and college, and I’ve always grown up around sports. Football has always been my passion.
AP: So you’ve got a great football pedigree. You mentioned your grandfather played in the NFL. What position did he play?
Juju: My grandpa played running back.
AP: Running back? What team did he play for?
Juju: Yes, sir. He played for the San Diego Chargers. It was during the strike era. He played for 2-3 years and then went to the military.
Advertisement
AP: That’s awesome, man. And he also served in the military, right? What branch did he serve in?
Juju: I’d have to ask my dad. I think it was the Navy Seals, but I’m not completely sure.
AP: Man, your grandfather is a true American hero. Going from the NFL to serving our country is incredible. If he’s still with us, please tell him I appreciate his service.
Juju: Yes sir, he’s doing good.
AP: What college did your dad play for?
Juju: My dad played at West Alabama.
AP: Alright, I bet.
Being that you’re from Mobile, Alabama, and currently committed to Mississippi State, let me ask you this on a personal note. Growing up, were you an Auburn fan or an Alabama fan?
Advertisement
Juju: Actually, neither. I grew up an Ole Miss fan.
AP: (Laughing) That’s a smart answer choosing neither, but from a Louisiana perspective, it’s a bad thing that you chose Ole Miss.
So growing up an Ole Miss fan, how did you end up committing to Mississippi State so quickly?
Juju: It was because of the passion the coaches showed for me. They showed real love and real attention.
What’s crazy is Coach Dez (Desmond).. he was actually my dad’s wide receivers coach in college. Those family ties, it’s deeper than football. I’ve basically grew up around Coach Dez, so I know how he coaches because he coached my dad. Those family ties.
Advertisement
AP: So you have a real bond with those coaches over at Mississippi State
So what is it about Starkville and the opportunity to play in the SEC that excites you the most?
Juju: I’d say it’s the culture, and it’s also close to home.
AP: Now you’re going through the recruiting process, and you ran a 4.3 forty at Mississippi State’s camp. Is that the fastest you’ve ever recorded?
Juju: Right now, yes sir.
AP: Do you think you can run faster?
Juju: Of course.
AP: What’s your goal?
Juju: When I got my Catapult testing results back. I hit 22 miles per hour, and my takeoff velocity was 12.4.
AP: What?! That’s ridiculous.
Advertisement
How recent was that?
Juju: That was at Mississippi State. I got the results back during my official visit. I was actually the only one who got my results back.
AP: That’s fire. Running 22 miles per hour on Catapult is special. That’s elite speed.
Now LSU and Corey Raymond are recruiting you pretty hard. Tell me, what do you know about Corey Raymond as a defensive backs coach and about LSU as a program?
Juju: I know he’s a great coach. He coached guys like Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu. Those are players I watched growing up, so he has a really strong background with defensive backs that I looked up to.
Advertisement
AP: Would you be surprised if I told you Corey Raymond coached 19 defensive backs into the NFL during his stint at LSU?
Juju: I wouldn’t even be surprised. He actually told me that.
AP: (Laughing) Yeah, man. That guy has an incredible lineage. Whenever Corey Raymond sets his sights on somebody, he’s not just saying you’re a good player—he believes you’re a future pro. That’s NFL-caliber talent.
What do you know about LSU? I know you said you grew up an Ole Miss fan and you have your ties to Mississippi…
Juju: My dad and grandpa grew up LSU fans, I have family that went to LSU, so it LSU means a lot.
Advertisement
AP: Wait a minute, Juju. You’re telling me your dad, your grandpa, and other family members all either went to LSU or are LSU fans?
Juju: Yes, sir.
AP: So let me get this straight. Your family has all those LSU ties… but you grew up an Ole Miss fan?
Juju: Yes, sir.
AP: (Laughing) How? How did that happen, Juju?
Juju: Honestly, I just liked certain players.
AP: Who were some of the Ole Miss players you grew up watching?
Juju: Winnie Watkins for sure. And then my favorite coach growing up was Lane Kiffin. I just liked the way he operated. That’s really what made me fall in love with Ole Miss as a kid.
AP: So Lane Kiffin being your favorite head coach, along with Winnie Watkins being one of your favorite players, is really what drew you to Ole Miss. Now that Lane Kiffin and Winnie are both at LSU, shouldn’t that fandom transfer over to Baton Rouge?
Advertisement
Juju: Yes, sir.
AP: (Laughing) So now LSU should be jockeying neck-and-neck with Mississippi State since they’ve got that fandom connection, right?
I know you haven’t had the opportunity to take an official visit yet because all of this recruiting really picked up late. Do you plan on visiting Baton Rouge during the season?
Juju: Yes, sir. My official visit is for the first game of the season September 5th against Clemson, so I’ll be up there real soon.
AP: That’s the perfect time to visit.
Now let me ask you another question. Are you planning to visit Ole Miss on September 19th?
Juju: No, sir. As of right now, I don’t know.
Advertisement
AP: But if you get the opportunity, you would?
Juju: Yes, sir. I will, just to see it.
AP: Good. I think you should. I tell every recruit to take every visit you possibly can. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you don’t want to miss out on those experiences.
If you get a chance to visit Ole Miss for the LSU game and experience The Grove, that’s something you’ll remember forever.
But I will say this—you picked one heck of a game to visit LSU. You’ll be there for Lane Kiffin’s inaugural game as LSU’s head coach when the Tigers open the season against Clemson. Everybody in Baton Rouge is looking forward to welcoming Clemson into Death Valley.
Advertisement
The atmosphere is going to be absolutely electric.
Have you ever been to an LSU game before?
Juju: No, sir. I’ve never been to an LSU game. But my dad and my stepmom go to LSU-Alabama every year.
AP: How does your dad describe the environment in Death Valley?
Juju: He always says it’s crazy. Loud. Packed. Jumping. He says it’s just a different environment. Him being an LSU fan he’s going to say that anyway.
AP: (Laughing)See, this is exactly why I wanted your dad on this call. I know he and I would get along really well. We both understand what Death Valley means and how special that environment can be.
Advertisement
I’m sure he’s excited seeing you get these opportunities. Between his relationship with a coach at Mississippi State and now you getting to visit the school he grew up cheering for, I’m sure it’s a blessing for him as well.
Just keep doing what you’re doing, man. I know you’re making your dad proud. I’m proud of you too. Everything has happened so fast for you, and you’ve handled it really well.
I appreciate you taking a few minutes to talk with me today.
Now, before we wrap this up, I’ve got one more question.
The new College Football game just came out. Have you been playing it yet?
Juju: (Laughing) I played my dad this morning and gave him BELT! Spanked him!
Advertisement
AP: How bad?
Juju: I beat him 21-5 in the first quarter, made him quit.
Then we played again. I was up 14-0, but the game started cheating and he ended up winning.
AP: (Laughing) What teams were y’all using?
Juju: The first game I picked LSU, and he used Texas A&M.
The second game I picked Ohio State, and he used Georgia.
AP: Alright, I like it.
Here’s what I need you to do. Text me your gamer tag because me and my son are on there too. We’re going to start up a dynasty league, and whenever you’ve got some free time, we’d love to get you in there.
Juju: Yes, sir. I will.
AP: PlayStation or Xbox?
Juju: PlayStation. My dad has an Xbox.
Advertisement
AP: Perfect. We’ve got all the bases covered.
(Laughing)
Now go get that haircut, man.
Keep in touch. I’ll continue checking in with you like I’ve been doing these past few weeks. And when you’ve got some free time, we’d love to have you on the podcast soon once you get some free time.
Juju: Yes sir. Thank you.
AP: No problem, man. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.
Juju: Appreciate it.
Thank you again to Juju for your time and best wishes on your recruiting journey.
