Cormani McClain was the name everyone was talking about during the last transfer portal season. After all, the 21-year-old didn’t just enter the portal, name some potential schools, narrow it down, and finally pick one like most guys do. Instead, he dragged Colorado Buffaloes HC Deion Sanders through the mud. Back in Boulder, he felt unappreciated and demotivated. Somehow, he felt his growth was getting stunted under Deion. So, when he hit the portal, he said, “I’m just ready to bring the old version of me out and change the narrative of everyone’s thinking on my name. Be a part of a real and a great program that’s going to impact me at my best ability and yeah ready to get to a new place and get to work.” That’s when things got messy. Later on, McClain found his new home with Billy Napier’s Florida Gators. Sadly, he couldn’t shake off the bad vibes and even struggled with the Gators.
Now that he has a second chance with Napier’s Gators, he wants to make the most of it. The fire that fueled his exit from Boulder is still burning bright in McClain. In the 2024 season, the former 5-star cornerback had a rather unimpressive showing, with just 3 solo tackles and 5 combined tackles. Heading into 2025, he’s determined to write a new story. Months later, he seems to have turned a corner and shared a big update on where he stands in Napier’s squad after being labeled as “locker room cancer.”
On April 3, McClain gave a heads-up to his doubters. He shared a clip from his practice on his IG story. The caption captured the ‘Bring it to me’ kind of attitude. “Ready to run it back. Gator Nation? See you at the Florida Victorious Meet & Greet next Saturday. @fl_victorious #victorydefined #floridavictorious.” The Florida Gators have carried the momentum of their four-game winning streak into the offseason and onto the field this spring. So, Florida Victorious is going to sponsor the Orange & Blue Game in an attempt to support the student-athletes. The Florida cornerback is already drawing rave reviews early in spring camp. Make no mistake, McClain is a promising young player. He has the size, length, and ball skills that fit the bill for a No. 1 corner. Now, what makes McClain gather the hype?
As reported by Tyler Miles, Florida’s director of strength and conditioning, the athlete has put sincere efforts in the weight room. Standing at 6 feet 1.5 inches and weighing 182 pounds, the cornerback bulked himself up by adding 20 extra pounds. This helps the redshirt freshman to absorb the playbook. Florida’s strength and conditioning coach has been impressed with the cornerback, especially since putting on weight hasn’t slowed him down at all. Rather, it has made him more explosive, noting he ran 23 miles per hour on the treadmill during winter drills. That’s how he is changing the story, winning Napier’s trust.
How Cormani McClain’s Gators debut was filled with red flags
Last season, Napier happened to be in two minds when it came to playing McClain. On August 28, last season, Florida released their depth chart for their season opener against Miami. Sadly, the fans could not find McClain’s name in the cornerback lineup. However, others made it to the list. For instance, Jason Marshall Jr. was blessed with the starter role. The 2023 season’s elite 4-star recruit, Ja’Keem Jackson, was also on the list. Devin Moore and Dijon Johnson found two spots for themselves. Now, can Napier be blamed for snubbing McClain?
Not at all. After all, it turned out that the cornerback failed to walk the talk. Earlier, it appeared that the Boulder environment was pulling him down while McClain was all set to prove himself. “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.” But when he finally got the opportunity, he started to show off his dark side.
Discipline had left the chat when it came to Cormani McClain. As GatorsOnline writer Nick de la Torre reported, “I was told that Cormani McClain has been late to most of the requirements (meetings, lift, etc). The way that it’s handled is like a strike system.” Soon, he was seen as the locker room cancer. As Jake Schwanitz noted, “Everyone liked Cormani on the team. It’s just he didn’t put in the work.” Cormani McClain is ready to swap the “locker room cancer” label for one that screams “locker room inspiration.”
The post Cormani McClain’s Message to Florida Gators Confirms Where Things Stand With Billy Napier, Months After Alleged Fallout appeared first on EssentiallySports.
