McClain plans to join portal exodus at Colorado

After a tumultuous first season at Colorado, former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain is planning to enter the NCAA transfer portal, where he would join a number of Buffaloes teammates with starting experience.

McClain posted his intentions to his Instagram story, and a source at Colorado confirmed his departure from the program. As of Tuesday evening, nine Buffaloes players had entered the portal as the spring transfer window kicked off around college football.

McClain, the No. 14 overall recruit in the 2023 ESPN 300 out of Lakeland, Florida, committed to Miami in October 2022 before flipping to Colorado in January 2023.

At the time, it was considered a big signing for Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his staff, and it was thought that McClain would complement Travis Hunter in the secondary as an immediate impact player. McClain did not see the field early on, however, and Sanders told reporters in September that the freshman needed to do more.

“Study and prepare. Be on time for meetings, show up to meetings. Understand the scheme,” Sanders said at the time. “I check film time from each player, so I can see who’s preparing. So, if I don’t see that, you would be a fool to put somebody out there who’s not prepared.”

McClain did end up seeing action in nine games, starting four, and accounted for 13 tackles. He was a true freshman this past year and still has a redshirt available if he needs to use it at his next destination.

Also entering the transfer portal from Colorado on Tuesday were right tackle Savion Washington, who started nine games and appeared in 10 after arriving from Kent State, where he started in 2022; defensive tackle Chazz Wallace, a transfer from Old Dominion who started the Buffs’ final four games last season and finished with 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks; safety Myles Slusher, who started the 2023 opener against TCU; wide receiver Tar’Varish Dawson, an Auburn transfer who started four games last season and was dismissed from the team in February; and safety Jaden Milliner-Jones, a freshman who played in every game, starting one.

Offensive lineman Isaiah Jatta, a juco transfer who appeared in 11 games last season, starting one, also entered the portal, along with reserve offensive lineman David Conner and receiver Jacob Page, a freshman who did not play last season.

Sanders initiated a historic roster overhaul in the 2023 spring transfer window. The team ended up with 53 incoming transfers, including more than 20 after spring practice had ended that April, and 86 new players for 2023.

Buffs starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of Deion Sanders, wrote Monday on X, “Portal opens soon let’s get busy.”