Miami commit visits

AUBURN, Ala. | Zach McCloudClick [rl]Here to view this Link. committed to Miami last November but the three-star linebacker from Santaluces in Lantana, Fla., hasn't visited a lot of other schools and didn't have a lot to compare to the Hurricane program.

He's changing that this summer and it started with an overnight visit to Auburn Monday.

"It was pretty fun. It was a good time. I loved meeting the players and getting to see the coaches in person," McCloud said. "It's a family-type place. Everybody is pretty close together. The football team is like a family and it seems like a welcoming place. There's a lot of opportunity here."

McCloud, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, also wants to visit Florida, Florida State and possibly Georgia this summer.

"I came to Auburn first because they've been on me a lot," he said. "I really see that they're excited about me. I will be seeing other schools later in the summer just cause it's the wise thing to do."

McCloud has 13 total offer including Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, South Carolina and Stanford. For now, he maintains a firm commitment to Miami.

"It's as strong as it's ever been," McCloud said. "Not that I'm a really hard guy to persuade, but I'm sort of set in my ways. I don't know what it would take for me to de-commit. I do know that I like the people here at Auburn and anything can happen."

McCloud said Auburn and Florida were the two schools that stood out the most behind Miami.

The December graduate plans to go on most or all of his five official visits this fall, which will likely include a return trip to Auburn for a game.

"I feel like my time is better spent in college as soon as possible," he said. "I'm definitely going to work harder in college, they're going to make me work harder in college than I probably could on my own. Getting the instruction and getting a chance to beat out the competition early makes the opportunity that much better."

McCloud had 120 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and five fumble recoveries as a junior.

Assistant coach Scott Fountain and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp are recruiting McCloud for the Tigers.