5-Star CB Cormani McClain Commits to Miami over Alabama, Florida, More

Cormani McClain, a 5-star cornerback in the 2023 recruiting class, announced Thursday he's decided to play college football at Miami.

The head coach of the Hurricanes was reacting to the news.

McClain emerged as an intriguing two-way contributor at Lake Gibson High School in Florida, where he played both corner and wide receiver. He transferred to Lakeland High School for his senior season.

The versatile playmaker projects as a defensive back at the college level, and he could also be an impact player on special teams at the outset.

He's rated as the No. 2 overall prospect and the top-ranked cornerback in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Last May, McClain told Warchant's Michael Langston he still enjoyed playing on offense but his affinity for playing cornerback grew over time.

"I love playing press-man," he said. "I also play a lot of receiver, and whatever the team needs I'm going to do in making some big plays. Offense is probably more natural for me at times because that's where I started my career, so I'm comfortable with route-running. But corner ... I just love it there. Being out there on a corner, and it's one-on-one."

His steady growth as a corner allowed him to receive scholarship offers from many of the nation's top programs before he made his final decision.

He wants to continue that development in college.

McClain is a special talent on a path toward a potential NFL career, but there's still a major jump from high school ball to high-level college games, so a transition period should be expected as he arrives to Miami ahead of the 2023 season.

That said, even if he's not a Day 1 starter for the Canes, it probably won't take long before he sees the field. It's a significant recruiting victory forCristobal and Co.