Eric Mac Lain Biography
Of the 100 million annual National Football League viewers, it is obvious that a chunk of these fans eagerly wait for what Eric Mac Lain,30, will say every weekend of the season. Eric’s wife once shared that he observed her husband spend time searching and researching information before hitting the screen for an in-depth analysis of the college football team. Eric started as a star player but has since graduated to a journalist. Eric works at ACC Network as a studio analyst on The Huddle. He is also a field analyst for ESPN’s XFL game and a co-host of Gramlich and Qualkinbush, where his career in media started.
Personal Details
Eric Mac Lain is a Hope Mill native born on 6th March 1993. His passion for sports stems from observing his family, which is also deep into sports. His brother, Sean, also played for Clemson as a walk-on wide receiver. Apart from his role as a player and journalist, he is also a man with family values. He is married to Kaki Smith and together they have a daughter. Eric engaged his girlfriend in 2016 after proposing to her during the Tigers’ award banquet.
Education
He grew up passionate about basketball and once thought he would play the game professionally but fate had other thoughts for him. When he joined Jack Britt High School under the tutelage of Dan Brooks, he started playing football under coach Richard Bailey.
By the time he was graduating from high school, Eric Mac Lain was highly demanded by institutions like ACC and SEC but his advisor Brook had him joining Clemson where he was also pursuing a course in health sciences.
By the time he was leaving high school, Eric was already making a name for himself .247 Sports Composite Ranking ranked him 9th at his position,6th in the State, and 188th player in the country.
When he arrived in college, Eric Mac Lain switched from tight end to offensive lineman. He played as a freshman all through to graduation. Eric took part in 2 conference championships and became the team captain. He broke Clemson’s history by becoming the player with more wins to his name.
After graduation, he stopped playing football after realizing he had not future in NFL. his next decision became joining the corporate world. He joined the marketing team at JMI Sports. This position exposed him to radio hits and television interviews.
Career at ACC Network
According to The Athletic, Eric Mac Lain almost threw his breakthrough opportunity. He rejected two calls from the man who would take his career to the next level. He took the third only to be surprised that the man calling him was Patrick Donaher, the senior director at ESPN. The same guy who had found Kirk Herbstreit and Maria Taylor. After a chat, Eric agreed to move to Briston for an audition and to start his new job.
Eric Mac Lain has been a blessing to ACC Network and also to the fans who have a lining for his in-depth analysis and passion for college football. Every week he does a game preview of big events like the Florida State win in the ACC Championship, the Birmingham Bown, and the Clemson Mens Basketball 2023-24 preview.
On top of his in-depth knowledge of college sports, his charisma also keeps football fans listening. This expertise has earned him a loyal following on Instagram where he has 105k followers. He also gets invited to media outlets to share his success journey from high school through college and now in the corporate world. Eric Mac Lain has been featured on The Athletic and also as a guest in the Radcat podcast where he shares the secret of moving from football to business. What he had done has also been done by journalist Simone Eli who started as a basketball player but currently serves as a sports journalist.
Simone Eli Personal Details
Ethnicity: White
Nationality: American
Religion: Christian
Age: 30
Marital Status: married
Children: 1
Occupation: Sports Analyst
Salary: approx $100,000
Net Worth: $ 3 million
Weight: 315 lbs
Height: 6 feet and 3 inches
