The highest-rated high school recruit to sign with Deion Sanders at Colorado is leaving, and took a swipe at the program on his way out the door.
“I feel like I just don't want to play for clicks,” McClain said in a YouTube video posted Sunday. “I actually want to be involved with a great leading program that's going to develop players.”
McClain's was the No. 13 overall player and No. 1 cornerback in the class of 2023, per the 247 composite, and was committed to Miami before flipping to Coach Prime and the Buffs weeks after he took the Colorado job. Combined with Deion swiping the No. 1 overall player in 2022, Travis Hunter, it seemed at the time as if McClain's flip was the first sign of a paradigm shift in major college football, where Deion would prove to be a major force in recruiting elite high school prospects, particularly cornerbacks.
Instead, the peak of the Cormani McClain era at Colorado was the beginning. He recorded 13 tackles and two PBUs in nine appearances as a Buffalo.
“I want 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 great program that’s going to impact me at my best ability. Ready to get to a new place and get to work.”
Cormani McClain put out a youtube video.
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) April 21, 2024
He says he wants to play for REAL PROGRAM, he’s grades are good, and he doesn’t want to play for CLICKS. pic.twitter.com/6E2Dzhn6Nt
McClain is the 26th player to leave Colorado since November, and the 14th to enter the portal since the beginning of the spring window last week.
He has been linked to Oregon in the portal, which is ironic given that McClain echoed Dan Lanning on his way out the door in Boulder.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.