Colorado cornerback Cormani McClain announced Tuesday he plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal after one season with the Buffaloes.
McClain, a former five-star and the No. 1 ranked cornerback recruit in the Class of 2023, was the highest rated signee in coach Deion Sanders’ first recruiting class at Colorado after Sanders flipped the Lakeland, Fla., standout away from a commitment to Miami.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound cornerback got off to a slow start during his freshman season and didn’t play a snap on defense in the Buffaloes’ first three games. Sanders told reporters McClain needed to “study, prepare, be on time to meetings, show up to the dern meetings, understand what we’re doing as a scheme” before he could be entrusted with more playing time.
BREAKING: Colorado CB Cormani McClain plans to enter the Transfer Portal, he tells @on3sports
The 6’3 173 CB from Lakeland, FL was ranked as the No. 1 CB in the ‘23 Class (per On3) 👀
Will have 4 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/xSqXS0NCGh pic.twitter.com/Saq4s7IByA
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 16, 2024
McClain turned things around from there and earned four starts, recording 13 tackles and two pass breakups while teaming up with All-Pac-12 cornerback Travis Hunter. Sanders praised his focus and progress in November.
“We’ve challenged him tremendously all year long. … I’m really, really proud of Cormani. I really am,” Sanders said.
McClain has three more seasons of eligibility and will become one of the more coveted players in college football’s spring transfer window, a 14-day period for underclassman transfers that began Tuesday.
Seven scholarship players from Colorado had already entered the portal on Tuesday prior to McClain’s announcement: wide receivers Tar’Varish Dawson and Jacob Page, offensive linemen Savion Washington, David Conner and Isaiah Jatta, defensive lineman Chazz Wallace and safety Myles Slusher.
Require reading
• As Deion Sanders’ Colorado takeover enters Year 2, the big question: Is it working?
(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
