North Carolina State University Athletics
Program Spotlight: Jeraill McCuller
11/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Ryan Beck, NC State Media Relations
When you’re 6-7 and 325 pounds, you are hard to miss. Known as “Big Suge” by his friends and teammates, Jeraill McCuller has taken a long and winding path to NC State.
Born in Edenton, N.C., McCuller has had his share of hometowns. Shortly after he was born, his family moved to Detroit, Mich., but unfortunately things didn’t work out between his mother and father. McCuller ended up moving back to North Carolina with his mom, living in Jamesville. As fourth grade approached, McCuller’s mom thought it was time for him to get to know his dad better. “My mom felt like I should be a part of my dad’s life and he should be a part of mine,” said McCuller. So McCuller moved back to Detroit.
Being away from his mother and the rest of the family was tough. In the seventh grade, the state of North Carolina once again came calling and McCuller returned to Jamesville with his mom. This happened to also be around the time that he went from being one of the largest guys, to largest, in his school. “I started hitting my growth spurt when I was in seventh grade,” said McCuller. “I’ve always been a big guy, but I kind of started running away from everybody as far as my size. I started excelling in sports, mainly in football and basketball.”
While McCuller loved Jamesville, it was a baseball community first and foremost and his interests lay in football and basketball. “My mom felt like I needed to get the proper teaching in order to excel and really see how far my abilities could take me,” said McCuller. So it was decided he would go back to Detroit and live with his father to get the exposure and teaching he needed.
McCuller ended up attending the Detroit Country Day School for a year and a half. During this time, basketball became an important part of his life. “As I started growing up and moved to Detroit I saw that basketball was the popular sport at the time,” said McCuller. “So I just started practicing basketball night and day. I became a pretty good basketball player, but I just really stood out on the football field effortlessly. My mom told me I might as well put the basketball down because I was going to play football.”
Even though McCuller enjoyed his time in Detroit, he eventually had a falling out with his father. “My dad and I just kept bumping heads, and it started to get real chaotic,” said McCuller. “My grades were affected by it, as well as me as a person.” At this point McCuller’s mom felt it was up to him to make a decision about his future. “I decided to go live with relatives and friends in Virginia for my last two years in high school,” said McCuller. “It worked out perfectly. I still excelled in football and basketball, and was able to get a scholarship.”
With his combination of size and athleticism, McCuller started to get noticed by coaches across the country. One coach in particular that he became close to during the recruiting process was Mike Barry. “At the time Coach Barry was the offensive line coach here, and we bonded,” said McCuller. “We mapped out a plan for me to get where I wanted to be. I gained a great relationship with him, especially out of all the coaches that I talked to. For some reason when I came down and worked out at one of the camps, Coach Barry and I just really clicked with each other.”
After receiving numerous scholarship offers, McCuller had a final top five of South Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan State, Maryland and NC State. Choosing a college was a tough decision to make. With his family now in Greenville, N.C., the chance to be close to home won out. “It was an opportunity to get to be a part of my family because in a way I felt like a little bit of an outcast,” said McCuller. “My family was in North Carolina and I was always trying to pursue a dream. I felt it was God’s will to come back to North Carolina and go to NC State. I’m a little more than an hour away from the house so that’s a blessing.”
McCuller is one of many Wolfpack players who had to deal with the coaching staff changeover three years ago, but it wasn’t too difficult for him. “My childhood built me for changes like that,” said McCuller. “Since I moved from school to school, played for coach after coach and had to learn different philosophies and techniques, it was nothing new to me. It was kind of fun actually. I looked at it as a challenge.”
As the end of his college career nears, McCuller already has an eye toward the future. “Playing in the NFL is my dream, but if that doesn’t work out I would like to get into coaching,” said McCuller. “That is something that I have a passion for. I just really want to help people, and I feel like I’ve acquired a skill and knowledge for the offensive line. I’ve just always been told I’m really good with people, so that is something I will definitely pursue.”
Running out of the tunnel at Carter-Finley Stadium for the last time will be difficult. “It could be the last game of my collegiate career,” said McCuller. “It could be the last game of my life. I’ve had a great run here at NC State. I hope it’s not the end, but you don’t know what life holds.”
Fortunately for McCuller his last home game will be against North Carolina, a game which has a special meaning to him. “I’ve tossed back and forth about where I was from because I’ve moved around so much, but at the end of the day I’ve come to grips with the fact that I’m from North Carolina,” said McCuller. “Just being from North Carolina, it would feel so good to see the “W” beside the UNC game at the end of the year. I just want to go out and compete, and have a great time.”
McCuller’s path to NC State has been anything but ordinary. The North Carolina native has moved more in his first 22 years than most people do in a lifetime. While being away from his mom was difficult, it helped him grow and learn what type of person he is. McCuller doesn’t know what the future holds, but NC State has helped him prepare for whatever life throws at him.
When you’re 6-7 and 325 pounds, you are hard to miss. Known as “Big Suge” by his friends and teammates, Jeraill McCuller has taken a long and winding path to NC State.
Born in Edenton, N.C., McCuller has had his share of hometowns. Shortly after he was born, his family moved to Detroit, Mich., but unfortunately things didn’t work out between his mother and father. McCuller ended up moving back to North Carolina with his mom, living in Jamesville. As fourth grade approached, McCuller’s mom thought it was time for him to get to know his dad better. “My mom felt like I should be a part of my dad’s life and he should be a part of mine,” said McCuller. So McCuller moved back to Detroit.
Being away from his mother and the rest of the family was tough. In the seventh grade, the state of North Carolina once again came calling and McCuller returned to Jamesville with his mom. This happened to also be around the time that he went from being one of the largest guys, to largest, in his school. “I started hitting my growth spurt when I was in seventh grade,” said McCuller. “I’ve always been a big guy, but I kind of started running away from everybody as far as my size. I started excelling in sports, mainly in football and basketball.”
While McCuller loved Jamesville, it was a baseball community first and foremost and his interests lay in football and basketball. “My mom felt like I needed to get the proper teaching in order to excel and really see how far my abilities could take me,” said McCuller. So it was decided he would go back to Detroit and live with his father to get the exposure and teaching he needed.
McCuller ended up attending the Detroit Country Day School for a year and a half. During this time, basketball became an important part of his life. “As I started growing up and moved to Detroit I saw that basketball was the popular sport at the time,” said McCuller. “So I just started practicing basketball night and day. I became a pretty good basketball player, but I just really stood out on the football field effortlessly. My mom told me I might as well put the basketball down because I was going to play football.”
Even though McCuller enjoyed his time in Detroit, he eventually had a falling out with his father. “My dad and I just kept bumping heads, and it started to get real chaotic,” said McCuller. “My grades were affected by it, as well as me as a person.” At this point McCuller’s mom felt it was up to him to make a decision about his future. “I decided to go live with relatives and friends in Virginia for my last two years in high school,” said McCuller. “It worked out perfectly. I still excelled in football and basketball, and was able to get a scholarship.”
With his combination of size and athleticism, McCuller started to get noticed by coaches across the country. One coach in particular that he became close to during the recruiting process was Mike Barry. “At the time Coach Barry was the offensive line coach here, and we bonded,” said McCuller. “We mapped out a plan for me to get where I wanted to be. I gained a great relationship with him, especially out of all the coaches that I talked to. For some reason when I came down and worked out at one of the camps, Coach Barry and I just really clicked with each other.”
After receiving numerous scholarship offers, McCuller had a final top five of South Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan State, Maryland and NC State. Choosing a college was a tough decision to make. With his family now in Greenville, N.C., the chance to be close to home won out. “It was an opportunity to get to be a part of my family because in a way I felt like a little bit of an outcast,” said McCuller. “My family was in North Carolina and I was always trying to pursue a dream. I felt it was God’s will to come back to North Carolina and go to NC State. I’m a little more than an hour away from the house so that’s a blessing.”
McCuller is one of many Wolfpack players who had to deal with the coaching staff changeover three years ago, but it wasn’t too difficult for him. “My childhood built me for changes like that,” said McCuller. “Since I moved from school to school, played for coach after coach and had to learn different philosophies and techniques, it was nothing new to me. It was kind of fun actually. I looked at it as a challenge.”
As the end of his college career nears, McCuller already has an eye toward the future. “Playing in the NFL is my dream, but if that doesn’t work out I would like to get into coaching,” said McCuller. “That is something that I have a passion for. I just really want to help people, and I feel like I’ve acquired a skill and knowledge for the offensive line. I’ve just always been told I’m really good with people, so that is something I will definitely pursue.”
Running out of the tunnel at Carter-Finley Stadium for the last time will be difficult. “It could be the last game of my collegiate career,” said McCuller. “It could be the last game of my life. I’ve had a great run here at NC State. I hope it’s not the end, but you don’t know what life holds.”
Fortunately for McCuller his last home game will be against North Carolina, a game which has a special meaning to him. “I’ve tossed back and forth about where I was from because I’ve moved around so much, but at the end of the day I’ve come to grips with the fact that I’m from North Carolina,” said McCuller. “Just being from North Carolina, it would feel so good to see the “W” beside the UNC game at the end of the year. I just want to go out and compete, and have a great time.”
McCuller’s path to NC State has been anything but ordinary. The North Carolina native has moved more in his first 22 years than most people do in a lifetime. While being away from his mom was difficult, it helped him grow and learn what type of person he is. McCuller doesn’t know what the future holds, but NC State has helped him prepare for whatever life throws at him.
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