Colorado football transfer a test of Billy Napier's portal approach at Florida

Colorado football transfer cornerback Cormani McClain will be a test of Billy Napier's portal approach at Florida according to Hail Florida Hail's Benjamin Henderson. That approach? Focusing on the right team fits instead of rushing in and grabbing every big name.

"In many ways, McClain will be a test of Napier's methodical approach to the transfer portal," Henderson told me. "He moves much slower than other SEC programs in the portal, and his stated rationale is that he wants to make sure that guys are the right fit for the team. So if Napier has done his due diligence on McClain and believes that whatever went wrong in Colorado can be turned around in Florida, then most are willing to let this play out before making further declarations."

McClain being a good fit anywhere after his misdeeds in Boulder is a dubious thought. When I asked Henderson if McClain was a desperation play on Napier's behalf, he vehemently denied it.

"I don't think it was out of desperation," Henderson prefaced before saying, "McClain was, after all, a high-priority recruit from the class of 2023 and one the Gator staff was highly familiar with. And this is a talent acquisition business at the end of the day, so if McClain is coming to Gainesville as a walk-on, Napier is looking at it as a potential turnaround project with no downside to the program if it doesn't work out."

Cormani McClain faces far lower expectations in Florida than he had with Colorado football

Sometimes all it takes for a college athlete to improve is time and experience at a new level. McClain wasn't ready to be a star at Colorado, but that doesn't mean he can't be at Florida; especially with minimal expectations as a PWO with the Gators.

Even being a solid backup to Devin Moore would be a win for Napier and Co., but if McClain could contribute anything close to starter-level production, UF will be undisputed winners of what has been a topsy turvy recruitment for the former Lakeland Stat the last two years.