Is Cormani McClain out of Florida? A look at what Florida coach said about former Colorado star’s situation

Cormani McClain arrived at the Florida Gators from the Colorado Buffaloes during the spring transfer portal. In his later days with Deion Sanders' program, he fell out with the coaches and the way things were run in Boulder. He infamously said that he did not want to "play for clicks," a reference to the strong social media presence that surrounds the Colorado Buffaloes with Sanders at the helm.

Now, McClain has a fresh start in Florida. But reports have been circulating that he has been late to practice on numerous occasions, and this is causing problems in the Gators locker room. These have led some people to believe that McClain has been kicked off the team.

Has Cormani McClain been kicked off the Florida Gators?

On Tuesday, Florida Gators secondary coach Will Harris posted on social media the potential answer to this question. He wrote:

"Not True!!!"

From this announcement from someone inside the Gators program, it appears that McClain, despite breaking program rules, is still on the Gators roster for the 2024 season.

How can Cormani McClain help the Florida Gators defense?

Cormani McClain was a highly-ranked cornerback out of high school, with some rankings placing him as the best in the country. Despite receiving offers and having visits to the likes of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Florida Gators, McClain went with Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes.

This move was a steal for Colorado, as they were getting one of, if not the, best cornerback recruit available. However, McClain was not used much during the season, and in the end, only recorded six tackles. He later became unsatisfied with the Buffaloes and entered the transfer portal, ending up with the Florida Gators.

The Gators themselves had a defense that heavily struggled against the pass game last year. They allowed 226.7 yards a game on average and only recorded three interceptions all season, which made them the 129th-ranked program in the metric, one of the worst in college football.

Gators head coach Billy Napier made numerous changes to the coaching staff, including hiring Will Harris. But they also brought in many new talents to bring some life to what was a lifeless defense.

McClain is one of these players and will join with former Alabama DB Jasper Grimsley and former Tulane safety DJ Douglas to help improve the Gators secondary.

Cormani McClain could thrive in this environment. He is originally from Florida, and now that he is not "playing for clicks," he can focus on football and develop his on-field ability.