McClain transfers to Florida; restarts his career where it could have originally began

Turning back the clock, McClain originally committed to Florida when he was a senior coming out of Lakeland, Florida and was highly touted. He was the fourth best player in the country coming out according to several recruiting services. ESPN had him rated in their top 15.

However, after visiting Miami and meeting with their NIL collective, McClain decommitted from Florida and agreed to play for Miami in October, 2022. It was apparently a money decision that made him flip originally from Florida to Miami.

Fast forward to December 2022, the stage was set. On Early Signing Day, there was an Orange and Green cake for McClain and a Miami National Letter of Intent. There was a placard that had his name and the University of Miami logo on it. 

Both would go unused that day as McClain was talking to Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Sanders got in McClain's ear and the rest was recruiting history.

Miami would never hear from McClain again and the cake and the NLI would both find their way into the garbage pail. McClain dragged out his recruitment until he flipped to Colorado in January 2023. He signed with the Buffaloes a month later on National Signing Day.

"I play DB and Coach Prime is the best DB. I wanna be in the same shoes, same predicament, gold jacket, everything," McClain told 247Sports when he committed to the Buffs. "Get coached by the best DB. Why not?"

Well, it didn't work out. He found his way into Prime's doghouse and was in there so long he paid rent.

McClain, however, had a change of tune and left some harsh marks and tracks on Coach Prime's back before leaving town.

"I feel like I just don’t want to play for clicks. I actually want to be involved with a great leading program that’s going to develop players," McClain said in a YouTube video he posted announcing his decision to enter the portal, which was titled "Next Step."

Regardless of what McClain said on his way out, Coach Prime maintained his dignity when McClain bolted from Boulder.

It appears as though McClain got most of his playing time after Travis Hunter went down with a lacerated liver against Colorado State.

"I’m always in prayer for our young men, and I want the best for them," Coach Prime said in an interview with DNVR. "I pray to God that he goes to a program that challenges him, as well as hold him accountable and develop him as a young man.

"Unfortunately, we weren’t the program that could accomplish that, so preferably he understands that this is the second go-round and get it — go get it, man, because he has a tremendous amount of talent. But he has to want it."

McClain added that he wants to "change the narrative surrounding my name and be a part of a real and great program that’s going to impact me to the best of my ability."

He will get a fresh start at Florida and that start begins with facing the high-octane Hurricanes offense that features quarterback Cam Ward and All-ACC wide receiver Xavier Restrepo. You can bet that Cristobal will want to get some revenge on McClain and test him early and often, if McClain even plays in the game. Florida took four defensive backs in the 2024 transfer portal. Is this a win for the Gators or a desperate heave by Napier to bolster his roster to save his job? Time will tell.