Five-star Miami commit Cormani McClain goes out a state champion in Fort Lauderdale
Cormani McClain transferred to Lakeland for his senior year back in June both to play with some childhood friends and chase an elusive state championship.
In fact, he guaranteed one.
“I told them we were going to come and get a state championship Day 1 when I arrived,” said McClain, who orally committed to the Miami Hurricanes back in October.
On Saturday, the five-star cornerback got the final piece of validation on his high school career, finally winning his first state title in his final game in Fort Lauderdale.
“It means a lot,” McClain said, a gold medal draped around his neck after the Dreadnaughts’ 21-14 win against Venice in the Class 4S championship. “You’ve got to take a lot of sacrifice to get where you’re at.”
The next stop will be Coral Gables, as the 6-foot-2, 165-pound senior is set to sign a national letter of intent with Miami once the early signing period begins Wednesday.
McClain, who’s the No. 2 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2023, is one of three five-star recruits planning to sign with the Hurricanes next week and once he does he’ll become the sixth highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with Miami.
The elite defensive back spent his first three years of high school at Lakeland Lake Gibson and twice was The Ledger’s Big School Defensive Player of the Year, first for setting a school record with nine interceptions as a sophomore and then breaking his own mark with 10 as a junior.
Some coaching changes, though, led McClain to transfer across town for his senior season and his arrival helped the perennial-powerhouse Dreadnaughts win their first state title since 2018.
McClain finished his lone season at Lakeland with 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, a half a sack, two interceptions, five passes defended and a forced fumble in 10 games. In the 4S championship, McClain logged one tackle and broke up two passes, including one on third down.
“It was really special,” McClain said, “because I came over my senior year to play with my friends.”
Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele watched the entire game from the sidelines at DRV PNK Stadium.
Although he always declines to discuss recruiting, McClain happily threw up the U as he posed for photographs and celebrated with his teammates.
He’s itching to get to the next level and Steele is itching to get him on campus.
Said McClain: “I’m ready right now.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 4:47 PM.
