The Colorado Buffaloes and head coach Deion Sanders are looking at suffering another transfer portal loss ahead of the 2024 season.
According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain is planning on entering the transfer portal.
Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Cormani McClain was a top-tier recruit
Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Cormani McClain was a marquee recruit for head coach Deion Sanders. McClain was the No. 1 cornerback in the 2023 class. He was the No. 13 overall player in the 2023 class.
McClain didn’t serve as a consistent starter for the Buffaloes until the final three games of the season. He played in nine games and started in four total.
In that time, McClain amassed 13 tackles and two pass breakups. According to Pro Football Focus, McClain gave up 18 catches for 380 yards on 25 targets in the final three games he started. Those games were against the Arizona Wildcats, Washington State Cougars and the Utah Utes.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hinted as to why Cormani McClain struggled to get playing time
In an article from On3, head coach Deion Sanders hinted at the reasons the former five-star recruit struggled to find his way onto the field throughout the season.
“Study and prepare,” Sanders told reporters in September 2023 when asked what McClain needed to improve on to see more playing time. “Be on time for meetings, show up to meetings. Understand the scheme. I check film time from each player so I can see who’s preparing, so if I don’t see that, you would be a fool to put somebody out there who’s not prepared. That goes for all our players.”
Many fans believe that the departure of McClain is not a big deal to the Colorado coaching staff. While it looks bad on the surface due to how highly McClain was recruited coming out of high school, fans are saying that Sanders didn’t want to deal with McClain anymore.
Many are speculating that Cormani McClain could be leaving the Colorado Buffaloes for the Miami Hurricanes
One of the most likely landing spots for Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Cormani McClain is the Miami Hurricanes.
This is because Cormani McClain was originally committed to the Hurricanes before flipping to Colorado. McClain went to Lakeland High School in Florida, which is located East of Tampa and North of Miami.
Other schools that showed interest in McClain when he was being recruited in high school were the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
With a different regime in Alabama, it is unclear as to whether they will pursue McClain like they did originally.
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