Former Colorado player Cormani McClain, who headed coach Deion Sanders’ first recruiting class with the Buffaloes, will move to Florida, his agent, Hector Rivas of Disruptive Sports, told ESPN.
McClain, ESPN’s No. 14 recruit in 2023, visited Florida last week with his mother and Rivas. The Lakeland, Florida, native will return to his home state after entering the transfer portal last month.
After a slow start to last season, he started four games and appeared in nine for Colorado, recording 13 tackles and two pass breakups. Maclin initially committed to Miami, but transferred to Colorado in January 2023, shortly after Sanders was hired. In a YouTube video posted shortly after he entered the portal, McLean said he plans to “bring out the old version of me and change the narrative of the story.” [what] “Everyone is thinking about my name, being part of a real, great program will influence me to the best of my ability.”
He noted that academics have never held him back and that he doesn’t want to “just play for the clicks, I want to be involved in a great pilot program.”
McClain, who will have three years of eligibility remaining and a redshirt available, joins a Florida defense that has been aggressive in the gate this winter and spring. The Gators also added defensive backs Jameel Grimsley (Alabama), Asa Turner (Washington) and Trikwizzi Bridges (Oregon), and also made additions at linebacker and along the line.
In an interview last month with DNVR Sports, Sanders said he wishes the best for McClain.
“I pray that he goes to a program that challenges him, holds him accountable, and develops him as a young man,” Sanders told DNVR. “Unfortunately, we were not the program that could make that happen.”
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