"Lot of schools have been turned off by how things ended at Colorado": CFB insider on Cormani McClain's portal move leaving Deion Sanders behind

After leaving Colorado last week, cornerback Cormani McClain took a dig at coach Deion Sanders by saying he wanted to join a program that prioritizes player development over media attention.

On the "On3 Recruits" show, host Josh Newberg and college football insider Pete Nakos discussed McClain's transfer portal decision and the potential schools he may consider.

While USF was initially thought to be a contender, McClain has not yet made any official visits, leaving many schools in the mix. USC may also not be the best fit for him due to the high level of publicity that comes with being located in Hollywood, California. According to Nakos, Memphis has shown interest in offering him a spot, and other high-major Group of Five schools may also be interested.

However, there has been limited interest from Power Four or Power Five schools, possibly due to controversies surrounding his previous team and coach Deion Sanders.

“I think a lot of schools have been turned off by kind of how everything ended at Colorado and maybe some of Deion Sanders' comments,” Nakos said.

Sanders was asked about Cormani McClain's exit last Wednesday and said he wanted the best for the cornerback.

"I'm always in prayer for our young men and I want the best for them," Sanders told DNVR. "I pray to God that he goes to a program that challenges him, as well as holds him accountable and develops him as a young man.

"Unfortunately, we weren't the program that could accomplish that. So, prayerfully, he understands that this is his second go-round and gets it. Go get it, man. He has a tremendous amount of talent, but he has to want it."

McClain is evaluating his options after a disappointing freshman season, while coach Sanders is busy recruiting prospects.

Cormani McClain's YouTube message

Cormani McClain, a former five-star recruit, released a YouTube video titled "Next Step" on Sunday and said he wanted to showcase the best version of himself, but with a program that could truly develop him.

“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. “I want … to be a part of a real and great program that’s going to impact me.”

ESPN reports that since November, 26 players have announced their plans to leave the Buffaloes. Despite this high turnover, coach Deion Sanders remains confident in the program's recruiting team and coaches.

“We’re good. I trust the recruiting team. I trust our coaches, and please have some faith in me,” Sanders said last week. “We good. We all right.”

McClain was the top-ranked cornerback in the nation (Class of 2023) while in high school, which is how he secured a spot on Coach Prime's team in the first place.