All 105 is a Nittany Sports Now series profiling each Penn State football player. Here’s a profile of Florida State transfer Malik McClain.
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 202 pounds
Hometown: Daphne, Alabama
Before Penn State: McClain came to Penn State after two seasons at Florida State. He was the team’s newcomer of the year in 2021 and played in all 13 games last season. He ended 2022 with 206 yards and three touchdowns on 17 catches.
Before Florida State: McClain played his first three seasons at Alabama’s Daphne High School and then transferred to Florida’s famous IMG Academy for his senior season. In that senior year, McClain helped IMG to a perfect 8-0 season. 247Sports’ composite rankings had McClain as a fout-star.
Where he stands: Penn State’s receivers room has a different look coming into the 2023 season. Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley are gone, and aside from projected WR1 KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who’s entering his fourth season with the program, nobody whose expected to get playing time at receiver for Penn State played on last year’s team. Dante Cephas (Kent State transfer) and Malik McClain (Florida State) both have solid chances to start.
A quote about McClain: “Malik has been impressive so far. He’s tested extremely well in our baseline testing when these guys arrive. He’s also just always got a huge smile on his face. I know coach Marques Hagans had him as the competitor of the day, and that’s been positive. And all the feedback from the strength coaches, as well as all of the guys, has been really good with him.” — Coach James Franklin to reporters at a media availability in February
