BREAKING: Florida Gators are closing in on deal to sign top talent from Avalanche.

Gator Nation is likely familiar with Florida’s newest transfer target Cormani McClain, who entered the portal after one season with Colorado. McClain was the top ranked cornerback and 14th overall player in the 2023 class and ranks as the 21st overall transfer in 2024.

McClain and Florida have history. On October 27th of 2022, the Lakeland High School Product shocked the college football industry by committing to the Miami Hurricanes over Florida. McClain would end up singing with Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes.

The 6’2, 165-pound cornerback visited  Gainesville a total of six times throughout his high school recruitment, so there was clearly interest from both parties.

“Florida is just home,” McClain said following his visit to Florida in April of 2022. “It’s just a place, it’s just home. You have to have love for Florida.”

McClain is back on campus once again, this time as a transfer portal target.

What did McClain do at Colorado?

McClain appeared on defense in nine games as a true freshman including four starts, recording 13 total tackles including six unassisted, one tackle for loss, and two pass breakups.

His defensive grade of 51.7 ranked 36th on Colorado’s defense, according to Pro Football Focus. McClain missed nine tackles, posting a missed tackle percentage of 37.5%, the highest on Colorado’s defense among players with 25 or more snaps. In coverage, McClain allowed 18 receptions for 380 yards on 25 targets across 277 snaps. His yards allowed per catch of 21.1 was the highest on the Buffaloes.

Why is he transferring? 

McClain’s lack of success at Colorado could be due to some off the field issues he had at the collegiate level.

“Study and prepare. Be on time for meetings, show up to the darn meetings,” Sanders said midseason when asked why McClain wasn’t playing. “Understand the scheme. Understand what we are doing as a scheme, want to play this game, desire to play this game, desire to be the best in this game, at practice, in the film room and on your own time. You do know I check film time from each player so I can see who’s preparing? That’s not just about Cormani. If I don’t see that, you would be a fool to put somebody out there who’s not prepared. Can’t do it, won’t do it.”

After McClain entered the portal, Sanders sat down with DNVR Buffs to discuss McClain’s departure.

“I pray to God that he goes to a program that challenges him, as well as holds him accountable and develops him as a young man,” Deion Sanders said on McClain’s departure in an interview with DNVR Buffs. “Unfortunately, we weren’t the program that could accomplish that. So, prayerfully, he understands that this is his second go-round and gets it. Go get it, man. He has a tremendous amount of talent, but he has to want it.”

McClain released a video explaining why he left Colorado’s program.

“I feel like I just don’t want to play for clicks. I actually want to be involved with a great-leading program that’s going to develop players,” McClain said in the video.

Florida is offering McClain a spot on their 2024 roster as a preferred walk on, meaning he will not count against the Gators’ scholarship count next season. This is a low risk, high reward move for Florida. McClain would be the 5th top 150 transfer the Gators have added this cycle and the second highest rated transfer.

Shall McClain transfer to Florida, he’ll join a cornerback room that consists of Jason Marshall,  Devin Moore, Ja’Kem Jackson, Jameer Grimsley, Teddy Foster, and Dijon Johnson.

McClain has three years of eligibility remaining, not including a potential redshirt year.