Former Virginia tight end Jake McGee has decided to play out his final collegiate season with the Florida Gators next year.
McGee announced that he would leave Virginia after his graduation in a release from the school in April.
“I am very thankful for my time at UVA and I will always consider myself a Wahoo,” McGee said in a statement released through the school. “I have tremendous respect for Coach London and this football team, but I have decided to pursue my future career elsewhere. This is a personal decision and in no way should reflect on this team or its coaches. I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and especially the Wahoo fans for the endless support. Go Hoos.”
McGee was Virginia’s leading pass catcher in 2013, hauling in 43 receptions for 395 yards and two scores. 26 of his 43 receptions went for a first down (60.5%) last season. McGee totaled 36 games played over three seasons, caught 71 passes for 769 yards and seven touchdowns during his career.
McGee graduates this week and will be eligible to play at Florida this season. McGee and his father were on campus last week to meet with the Florida coaching staff, tour the facilities and find a graduate program. The SEC requires that McGee find a graduate program at Florida that Virginia doesn’t offer and sources told Gator Country that McGee found several programs that he would like to pursue. McGee will begin class when the summer session begins on Monday.
“Everything is done. I just have to keep up the grades, which won’t be an issue,” McGee said. “Then just get started in my Masters program. We graduate next weekend [at Virginia] but all my grades are in and finalized.”
McGee is a talented pass catcher who can step in at Florida and immediately give the Gators the playmaker at the position that they have sorely missed since Jordan Reed’s early departure from the school. Last season the Gators tight ends combined to catch four passes for 42 yards.
McGee was familiar with the Florida coaching staff even before his visit to Gainesville last week. That’s because new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper recruited McGee while Roper was the offensive coordinator at Duke. That familiarity played in Florida’s favor according to McGee.
“It’s an offense that I’ve been watching the last four seasons when he [Roper] was at Duke,” McGee told Gator Country. “And he’s a guy that recruited me out of high school so there’s some familiarity there. Tight end is a fun position in that offense.”
“It’s been a whirlwind and a busy couple weeks but it’s all done now and I’m excited.”
Welcome Jake. Enjoyed watching you at UVA, and I expect to enjoy watching you at UF.