Cormani McClain Transfers to Florida After 1 Season with Deion Sanders, Colorado

Cornerback Cormani McClain is transferring to Florida after one season at Colorado, his agent told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg on Wednesday.

McClain was rated as a 5-star recruit by 247Sports, as well as the No. 14 overall player and No. 1 cornerback in the 2023 recruiting class.

He chose to play under Pro Football Hall of Fame corner Deion Sanders at Colorado, and as a freshman in 2023, McClain started four of the nine games he appeared in, recording 13 tackles and two passes defended.

Upon entering the transfer portal after the 2023 season, 247Sports rated McClain as the No. 21 overall transfer and the No. 5 cornerback in the portal.

Last month, McClain became the ninth Colorado player to enter the transfer portal following Sanders' first season as the head coach in Boulder.

Per ESPN's Tom VanHaaren and Rittenberg, Coach Prime suggested last September that McClain wasn't doing enough to earn playing time, saying: "Study and prepare. Be on time for meetings, show up to meetings. Understand the scheme. I check film time from each player, so I can see who's preparing. So, if I don't see that, you would be a fool to put somebody out there who's not prepared."

The Buffaloes were the talk of college football last season after starting 3-0, but they struggled mightily thereafter, finishing 4-8.

While quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter thrived individually amid the team's struggles, many others struggled to find a defined role, including McClain.

Now, McClain will return to his home state, as he starred at Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida, before committing to Colorado.

At 6'2" and 165 pounds, McClain is a long, athletic corner who 247Sports' Andrew Ivins compares to Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen, and Ivins also projects him as a future first-round pick.

Florida is a storied program that has enjoyed enormous success over the years, but much like Colorado, the past few years have been a struggle for the Gators.

The Gators have finished with a sub-.500 record in each of the past three seasons, including a 5-7 mark last season, resulting in them missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2017.

Florida ranks 13th in recruiting and eighth in the transfer market for the 2024 season, per 247Sports, providing hope that a turnaround could be on the horizon.