Colorado losing former five-star defensive back Cormani McClain to transfer portal

Buffs top recruit from last year's recruiting class leaves after short stint in Boulder

Cormani McClain told the world he wasn't leaving Coach Prime and Colorado. However, it seems he had a change of heart. The five-star and nation's top defender in the 2023 recruiting class will be entering the transfer portal, per multiple reports and confirmed by BuffsBeat.

McClain came to Boulder after flipping from Miami in a stunning signing day decision. The two-way talent left the Canes "holding the bag" after Mario Cristobal and his entire staff showed up to his high school to celebrate. As it turns out, he was already on his way to Colorado to sign with Deion Sanders.

The Lakeland, Fla. native tried to be an immediate game changer for the Buffs secondary. He played nine games with four starts as a true freshman last year. His breakout moment came against USC with McClain flexing his muscle a bit. He finished the season with 13 tackles (one for loss) and two PDUs. While his time was short, McClain will likely be ranked as a top ten all-time recruit in CU history.

Many believed that Sanders hiring Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, who spent a majority of his 12 years with Cincinnati Bengals coaching the secondary, would be a huge advantage for McClain. That won't be the case and he's expected to end up back in the Sunshine State.

McClain will be the tenth Colorado player to enter the transfer portal since Monday. Sanders and the Buffs are now even after losing the same number of players they've brought in from the portal this year with a total of 27. They're now four weeks deep for the Spring Practice session in Boulder. The final week before CU's Black and Gold Spring Game on April 27.