He caught passes from Trevor Lawrence and was in playoffs. But now Miami’s Ladson is ‘home’

Former Clemson/current University of Miami receiver Frank Ladson will likely be among a rare group of players who by the end of 2022 can say they played for one team, transferred to a program they previously faced, then faced their original team after transferring.

“I missed home,’’ said the 6-4, 205-pound Ladson, a fourth-year junior who was rated as high as a five-star prep receiver (PrepStar) and four-star wideout by other major recruiting sites when he played at Homestead South Dade High School. “It was time to come home.’’

Not only has Ladson caught passes from No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Trevor Lawrence, he’s now catching passes from projected first-round pick Tyler Van Dyke.

He’s also the second UM transfer receiver in as many years who has competed in the College Football Playoff. Ladson’s Tigers lost to LSU in the Jan. 13, 2020, national championship game following the 2019 season. Though Ladson participated, he didn’t record any stats. After the 2020 season, Ladson’s Tigers lost to Ohio State in a national semifinal. He caught one pass for 9 yards.

Charleston Rambo, who set UM’s single-season school receiving record in 2021 (1,172 yards and seven touchdowns on 79 catches) and is now battling for an NFL spot with the Carolina Panthers, played in the 2019 and 2020 College Football Playoff.

“Some of the guys asked me about it. Like, ‘What’s the biggest game you ever played in? The loudest game you ever played in?’ Ladson said Thursday after the the sixth day of fall camp and first session in full pads. “It’s just a different type of atmosphere. You’re in the playoff [and] you’re playing for a championship. At the end of the game they bring a stage out and confetti falls.”

Ladson, whose Clemson career was marred by consecutive seasons of sports hernia injuries which he said necessitated two surgeries — one on each side — said he’s now healthy, fighting for a starting spot and doing everything he can to become the big-bodied receiver the Hurricanes need.

“I ask Frank questions all the time,’’ said Canes wideout Key’Shawn Smith, another dominant pass-catcher on the outside. “It’s nice to have a big type of receiver like him, because we don’t have that. We got stretch-the-ball or stretch-the-field speed. To have a big receiver like him for the red zone is good to have.’’

Ladson’s transfer marked the third time since 2019 that UM has gotten an elite receiver from the portal. Besides Rambo, the other time was KJ Osborn, now with the Minnesota Vikings, in 2019.

“It’s cool to come home, right?” said ACC Network analyst Eric McClain, a former Clemson offensive lineman who watched practice Thursday. “There’s a bunch of stuff with the transfer portal that I kind of feel bad about, but that’s a good one. There are times when guys just need fresh starts, guys just need to go home.

“I hope and pray he’ll blossom here, because he’s a heck of a player — unbelievable talent.’’

Ladson started four games for Clemson in 2021, tallying four catches for 19 yards before he had to undergo his second surgery. In 2020, Ladson caught 18 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games, four of them starts despite multiple injuries.

“It was kind of like one injury carried over to both years,’’ he said. “It’s great now. It was healed even before I came to Miami [for spring practice]. “ He said it’s been a good experience “learning from a new coach and being around a new group of guys.’’

Ladson was an All-American at South Dade and rated the No. 23 player in USA Today’s “Chosen 25” national high school rankings The 247Sports composite ranking had him as the nation’s No. 7 wideout and 39th best player, regardless of position. He earned his degree in communications at Clemson in three years.

Ladson lauded Miami coach Mario Cristobal and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney. “Great coaches. Both are real big on culture and putting the work in.”

Swinney told the Miami Herald at the ACC media days last month that he was “really proud” of Ladson. “I’m disappointed he wasn’t able to really enjoy the fruits of his labor and talents at Clemson because he was hurt,’’ Swinney said. “But he graduated, a really smart kid. Hopefully he can stay healthy and have the type of year he’s capable of having and wants to have.’’

As for his similarities in Lawrence and Van Dyke, Ladson said they were both students of the game, perfectionists, wanting the best for their teammates and “demanding that from everybody” around them.

He said he appreciated Van Dyke coming into the receivers’ meetings from time to time. “That’s been great. He’s the quarterback. Whatever he wants he gets. It’s like, ‘What you thinking about this route? How do you want me to come out on this?’... Angles, coming out of the route, ball placement, stuff like that.

“I love to get the feedback. The whole room loves it.’’

His goals this season? “Just to win as many games as we can,’’ he said. “Put in the work and everything is going to fall in place.’’