Cormani McClain has rapidly growing On3 NIL Valuation

Five-star defensive back Cormani McClain is one of the best players in the Class of 2023. The cornerback from Lakeland, Fla., holds a long list of scholarship offers, from coast to coast. McClain is also building one of the strongest NIL brands in the high school ranks with an On3 NIL Valuation of $300,000.

The On3 NIL Valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time. McClain ranks No. 11 in the High School Football NIL Rankings.

Cormani McClain’s $300,000 On3 NIL Valuation puts him 79th among the top 100 for all college and high school athletes. However, it’s still an incredibly impressive number.

McClain is boosted by a strong social media presence, in particular on Instagram where he has more than 29,000 followers. Most of his followers are on Instagram, though he does have a strong Twitter following. This makes his On3 Per Post Value $493. This is important because social media posts promoting a product or service are the easiest NIL deals for student-athletes to participate in. What can be challenging is building your social media following for these deals.

Since February 15, 2022, Cormani McClain has seen his On3 NIL valuation soar by 482%. It went from $52,000 on February 15, 2022, to the $300,000 where it currently stands. That’s incredible growth and is largely due to the excitement and anticipation surrounding his recruitment. However, he has also seen a boost in his social media presence.

McClain, who is 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, was originally going to be the next great wide receiver. But when he took up corner, it was clear that he belonged on the defensive side of the ball. On3’s Charles Power is a huge fan McClain’s upside.

“McClain has the best combination of stature, athleticism and ball skills among cornerback prospects in the 2023 cycle,” Power said.

“Measured over 6-foot-1 prior to his junior season and has posted some of the best testing numbers in a combine setting we’ve seen from prospects in his cycle. A twitchy, bouncy athlete with explosive movement patterns. Pairs that athleticism with high-end skill on the field. Has proven to be a ballhawk defender with nine interceptions as a sophomore and five picks midway through his junior season. Uses his quickness to stay in-phase with receivers off the line and long speed to turn and run downfield. Highly instinctual and plays fast. Breaks on the ball quickly. Comfortable playing off and press coverage. Doubles as a receiver, which aids in his ball skills and coordination. Would be a four-star type talent at receiver if he chose. Has a thinner frame at 165 pounds and will need to continue adding bulk. Older for the class.”

About the On3 NIL Valuation

The On3 NIL Valuation is a tool to classify the standard market value of high school and college athletes. This is different from the value of the deals, or a compilation of deals that an athlete has accumulated. Rather, it is a way of judging what their fair market value should be at a given time. This valuation comes from a number of key aspects surrounding the athlete. These aspects include the position they play, awards and honors, recruiting ranking, and many other things that players like Cormani McClain benefit from.

Social media plays a key role in the valuation process. The number of followers that an athlete has on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok directly impacts the base platform an athlete has. The social media platform involved matters too, as different advertisers are willing to spend different amounts based on the platform itself.

Once this baseline is established through social media, then athletes can boost their valuation through other means. That includes things like gameday performance and making intangible runs, like Doug Edert of St. Peter’s basketball (now transferring to Bryant), who at one point rose to 88th in the On3 NIL Top-100, despite being a relative unknown before the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Cormani McClain commitment predictions

As the top defensive prospect in the Class of 2023, Cormani McClain’s recruitment is incredibly important to several schools. Chief among those programs is the Florida Gators. A native to the state, Florida seems to have the inside track over other P5 teams in Florida, like Miami. This could make McClain the trophy recruit of Billy Napier‘s first full class in Gainesville.

Of course, Florida isn’t the only team making a push for McClain’s commitment. Nick Saban and Alabama are making a push for Cormani McClain, with talk that Alabama is surging with him. Along with the Crimson Tide, Georgia, Miami, and USC are chief among the dozens of schools that have offered him.

As of right now, Cormani McClain has an 80.2% chance of committing to Florida, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. Alabama is the next closest, with a 15.9% chance of landing him. Miami is next, with just a 1.1% chance of landing McClain. That would appear to make his recruitment a two-team race, but there is still plenty of time for that to change.