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Florida Gators cornerback Cormani McClain is now on scholarship according to 247 Sports. The former five-star recruit has completed his comeback after a turbulent start to his NCAA career.
The news would suggest that McClain’s role is set to grow in 2025. It’s a turnaround some might not have predicted given previous missteps.
The defender started his career at Colorado where he suited up for Deion Sanders. While he saw immediate playing time as a freshman, his commitment and effort levels were questioned leading to a transfer.
His recruitment took a few turns after he hopped in the portal. Most interest seemed to come from Group of Five schools with Power Four programs hesitant to extend an offer. Eventually, he spurned those smaller schools for a chance to play in the SEC.
Cormani McClain signed with the Florida Gators last offseason. There was one caveat to that deal. The terms of his agreement included his status as a walk-on.
After arriving in Gainesville, he experienced issues. Rumors of tension in the locker room quickly surfaced due to his reported tardiness for team meetings and workouts. Those strikes put his 2024 season in limbo.
Fortunately, he was able to dig himself out of that early hole. McClain played in three games for the Gators last year, recording five tackles and an interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
He’s been able to build off of that first season with Florida and expects to see more production in the future. 247 Sports reports that the team is investing further in the cornerback.
Billy Napier put McClain on scholarship ahead of Year 2 with the Gators. He’ll soon compete for a starting role in the Florida secondary.
The path has been winding for McClain. He was once considered a “can’t miss” recruit. He then became a headache. He’s since been able to chance the outside perception of his being a bad teammate. Hopefully, his redemption story continues.