February 8, 2025

Cormani McClain rumor ‘blown out of proportion,’ says Florida’s Billy Napier: Former five-star CB ‘doing fine’


DALLAS — Cormani McClain‘s reputation precedes him, and everywhere he goes, rumors usually follow.

The former five-star phenom needed only one month before the first rumor grew legs. Social media was ablaze Tuesday with chatter the cornerback had been booted from the Florida roster after just one month on campus. Turns out, that wasn’t true, and the report was quickly shot down by a source. Coach Billy Napier addressed the McClain rumors Wednesday in a small setting with reporters before his podium appearance at SEC Media Days. 

“He’s doing fine,” Napier said. “A lot of this gets blown out of proportion. He’s a young player. Obviously, we’re well aware of his history.”

It’s that history that scared many schools from recruiting McClain when he entered the transfer portal in April. In only 17 bumpy months, McClain was criticized for a cloak-and-dagger recruiting process that burned several bridges at college programs, which then led to a rollercoaster fall semester at Colorado. Once in Boulder, he struggled to adjust. Hall of Famer Deion Sanders benched the former five-star recruit while trying — and failing — to coax the freshman to break bad practice habits. Sanders openly questioned McClain’s desire to play football and refused to put him on the field. McClain didn’t study film and was late to meetings, Sanders shared. He played in nine games.

USC and USF showed interest in McClain when entered the portal but it didn’t blossom into a serious courtship. Florida showed Interest but ultimately didn’t offer a scholarship, so he walked on with the Gators.

“We run a tight ship,” Napier said. “There’s structure, there’s routine, there’s discipline, there’s accountability. It’s hard these days. You’re in the minority if you show up in June, much less middle of June because you’re (arriving on campus) a couple of weeks later. It is what it is. He’s had a great week so far this week. He’s gained 10 pounds. He’s learning expectations, he’s learning culture. In the summer, the coaches are not there. This is player-led and I think that’s why I’ve got a lot of confidence in our team. That’s why I like our team. It should be challenging for a guy who just shows up in the middle of June, that’s a young player with minimal experience, so he’s doing just fine. He’s gonna be OK.”

The former No. 14 overall player and the top-ranked cornerback from the 2023 recruiting cycle was ranked as the No. 21 transfer in the 247Sports Transfer Portal rankings after one season at Colorado.

Sanders’ criticism of McClain echoed the fears many evaluators had shared during his recruiting process in high school. He spurred Miami for Colorado, showed up late to a commitment ceremony and as a high-profile prospect at the Under Armour All-American Game he skipped practices and meetings. 

“I don’t want to say I was necessarily surprised,” said Keith Barefield, McClain’s high school coach in 2020 and 2021. “That was a lot of work that I had to do getting him to start doing the right thing. … He’s a kid that grew up and always got away with things because of how good an athlete he was. Some things we did were that first step of taking steps towards it, and kinda warning him about it. Florida kids are going to stretch your limit. They’re always gonna fall to the floor of your standards. Whatever that floor is, they’re gonna fall to it. That’s why I liked Deion for Cormani because I knew Deion wouldn’t kiss his butt.”

McClain’s production at Colorado was a mixed bag. He allowed 18 catches on 25 targets for 380 yards and 17 first downs, according to Pro Football Focus. He was given a below-average grade of 51.7 on 277 snaps, the second-lowest rating among 32 former five-star freshmen.

McClain rocketed in the 247Sports recruiting rankings in high school. He picked off 19 passes in a two-year span and won a state title.

McClain heavily considered the Gators out of Lakeland (Florida) High School but ultimately decided to join Sanders in Boulder. 

“I’m always in prayer for our young men and I want the best for them,” Sanders said on DNVR Buffs in April. “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.”

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