Cormani McClain remains with Florida Gators, issues ‘blown out of proportion,’ says Billy Napier

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The Florida Gators took a flier on former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain this offseason. Following a chaotic 18 months that saw McClain commit to Miami (when the expectation was he would pledge to Florida) only to wind up playing for Colorado yet leave after one season, McClain was seeking an opportunity while the Gators were seeking additional talent for their roster.

That led head coach Billy Napier to offer the sophomore a walk on position to join Florida, the team it was long believed was his best fit, given scholarships were full and the 2024 offseason was already in full swing.

Not much had been heard about McClain’s first couple of months in the orange and blue, though a report last week noted that some within the program had been frustrated the newest roster member was not living up to off-field expectations such as showing up on time to meetings. An unsubstantiated report followed claiming McClain was removed from the Gators just months after joining.

That was debunked on Twitter by Florida secondary coach Will Harris with Napier sharing his thoughts in a more specific and detailed manner Wednesday before 2024 SEC Media Days kicked into full gear.

“He’s doing fine,” Napier said of McClain, per CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello, who participated in a huddle with the coach before he took the podium. “A lot of this gets blown out of proportion. He’s a young player. Obviously, we’re well aware of his history.”

“We run a tight ship,” Napier continued, per Marcello. “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. […]

“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. […] 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.”

McClain will be continuing his collegiate career about 120 miles from his hometown. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound standout — now at least 175 pounds, according to Napier — started four of nine games he played as a freshman for the Buffaloes, recording 13 total tackles and two pass breakups. He was the top remaining player in the transfer portal when he decided to link up with the Gators.

Then a major coup by Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, McClain stood as the program’s top signee two recruiting cycles ago, the No. 14 player in the Class of 2023. McClain did not see the field as much as he hoped last season, nor did he gain the muscle most believed he needed to amass to compete effectively at the college level. As such, his departure from CU was hardly a surprise given 41 players entered the transfer portal since the conclusion of the season.

Given McClain joined Florida as a walk on, his tuition, room, board, books and other expenses will likely be paid via NIL funding. This is a strategy many teams have utilized nationally, and the hope is that McClain will get on scholarship before his junior year should he live up to the Gators’ lofty expectations.