Willis McGahee III knows something about going from life in Miami to the cold weather in pursuit of an NFL dream. His son signed to play defense at Nebraska, and the Hurricanes great believes he’s getting ahead of the game when it comes to adjusting to life away from South Beach.
Ahead of his early enrollment at Nebraska, Willis McGahee IV—a three-star edge rusher out of Miami’s Columbus High School—discussed his decision to travel nearly 1,700 miles for college and how he’ll adjust to the Midwestern winters.
“That was one thing before that my parents were saying. ‘You go to the NFL, you get drafted by the Green Bay Packers, what you going to say: You don’t want to go?’” McGahee said, per 247Sports. “You might as well just get used to it now so then when you’re in the NFL you’re already good.”
Byron Hetzler/USA TODAY Sports
McGahee III learned that lesson the hard way. After growing up in Miami and playing for his hometown school, the Buffalo Bills took him in the first round in 2003. He would go on to play for a decade in exclusively cold weather climates, carrying the ball for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns during his career. It worked out well for the running back, who made Pro Bowls with the Ravens and Broncos.
Now, he hopes his son’s college choice will give him a leg up if and when he takes the jump to the pros. First up, however, helping Matt Rhule reestablish the Huskers as a contender in the Big Ten.
