“Be a Part of a Real and Great Program”: Cormani McClain on His Expectations After Leaving Colorado Buffaloes

Cormani McClain will be finally spreading his wings now that he is out of the Colorado Buffaloes program. The Buffs fans finally got clarity about the cornerback after not being spotted for long in the practice. On April 16, it was confirmed that McClain left Deion Sanders’ squad with 4 years of eligibility still in hand. 

Since his departure, it is the first time that the player has given an interview. He has set an objective: finding a program that can truly harness his potential, a greater program than his last destination. CFB Playoff contenders who have approached him have recognized this determination.

McClain’s next big plan

McClain did not answer any questions from analysts; instead, he released the question-answer session from his own YouTube channel. The No. 1 ranked recruit gave a rundown on his journey ahead. Revealing his next steps, McClain stated, “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.”

This statement hints at McClain’s feeling of being unappreciated when he was with Deion Sanders’ Buffs. In Colorado, Coach Prime was not satisfied with the player’s performance and had advised him to prepare himself and better understand the scheme. When he decided to make his way out and enter the transfer portal, McClain’s mother confessed, “Gotta be somewhere where your appreciated and not just tolerated!!! God take the lead, we right behind ya.” It seems that the player is near to his next big step now. 

Prospects of McClain as he hits the portal 

The Lakeland native has sparked interest from at least eleven major schools across the country. This includes powerhouses like Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, LSU, USC, and Oregon. Even two Florida schools, UCF and USF, are in pursuit of McClain. ESPN’s analyst, Pete Thamel, has noted this and made his prediction.

On the College GameDay Podcast, the blue bloods will land him and claimed, “You know, a guy ranked that highly is always going to get another chance. If you have five stars? You will have five chances. That’s pretty much how this goes.” In McClain’s case, the outstanding resume he will carry forward with himself will be an advantage. With the Buffaloes, he had appeared for nine games (four starts), along with 13 tackles (one for loss) and two PDUs. 

Hence, he is currently one of the highest-rated players available in the portal. While McClain is still rumored to blame Deion Sanders for not giving him due credit, it is to be seen whether his next destination can honor his talents as a player.