The impact was seismic when Cormani McClain left Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. The 20-year-old came from Lakeland Senior High School in Lakeland and joined college football as the No. 4 player by ESPN and 247Sports. He was even touted as “a generational talent with an NFL-ready drive.” So what happened when he joined Colorado after flipping from the Miami Hurricanes?

There had been unrest between Cormani McClain and Deion Sanders that resulted in him playing only nine games with four starts. He only recorded 13 total tackles, one TFL, and two pass breakups in the games played last season. Considering he’s a five-star recruit joining the Buffs for the 2023 season, a lot of divided opinions crept up that even his mom gave her two cents on the situation. While she claimed that her son needed to go somewhere he is appreciated, she also mentioned how there is “no love lost” between him and his former team. 

Cormani McClain visited the Florida Gators coaching staff

Cormani McClain recently visited Florida along with his mother Kaishay and his agent Hector Rivas to reportedly meet with the Gators coaching staff. Although a talented player, his stay at Colorado blurred his reputation, making it hard for him to find a new landing spot. But the Florida native could be getting another chance to prove himself and bring back his high school power to college football while turning his mother’s desire into reality.

Where Does OSU's Roster Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

C

CB

DE

DT

FB

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

QB

RB

S

T

TE

WR

View Tony’s Picks

Following his transfer decision, McClain’s mother Kaishay took to X to support her son’s decision posting, “Gotta be somewhere where your appreciated and not just tolerated!!!” This came after the inability of Deion Sanders and McClain to get along eventually split them. Coming out of high school, McClain was the country’s number one prospect.

Although, during his time at Colorado, he did not play much, with only 13 tackles and 1 pass defense. In addition to this, his stock ratings also took a hit at Colorado as he went to a 4-star prospect from a previous 5-star. Could Florida be the Utopia where McClain regains his high school mojo? 

Can Cormani McClain bring back the high school hype?

Cormani McClain is originally a two-way star playing and excelling as both WR and DB who currently plays CB. While he may not have had a fruitful season with Deion Sanders in Colorado, his high school history is decorated. He made an impact in high school at Lake Gibson playing both offense and defense in 2020 and 2021 winning Big School Defensive Player of the Year in both years. 

McClain transferred to Lakeland in 2022 and helped the Dreadnaughts win the state title undefeated as he totaled 16 tackles, 5 PBU, 2 INT, and a FF in 10 games. He may not have had a good college start to his football path after getting into all the messy situations but all he needs is a place and opportunity to prove himself. We hope Florida will give him a chance to bring this power back.