A year ago, coach Deion Sanders made headlines with his complete overhaul of the Colorado Buffaloes‘ roster. The team had 86 new players, including a record 53 transfers. Now, with the spring transfer period having opened on April 16, CU could be in the middle of another overhaul. Fourteen scholarship players entering the portal since the spring window opened. That’s in addition to the 12 that put their name in the database from November to March.
Sanders downplayed the exodus last week.
“We’re good. I trust the recruiting team. I trust our coaches, and please have some faith in me,” Sanders said. “We good. We all right. We all right.”
While Colorado brought in several transfers in December and will likely target more in the coming weeks, it has lost a lot in one offseason as Sanders is looking to rebound from the 4-8 season in 2023 with more questions than answers on what the program looks like going forward.
Below is a chronological list of Colorado players who have entered the transfer portal since the spring window opened:
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Commits | Transfers
Transferred to Colorado on April 22
Transferred from: Ohio State
A four-star prospect at Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tennessee), Hayden ranked No. 27 nationally at his position in high school. He quickly emerged as a true freshman, rushing for 553 yards and five touchdowns in 10 games for the Buckeyes. But his carries dropped from 111 in 2022 to just 19 last season, and now former Ole Miss star Quinshon Judkins is now wearing scarlet and gray.
Hayden has great quickness through the hole and is shifty, but he lacks game-breaking speed and downhill power. He’ll be more of a change-of-pace player, but he is still a valuable option.
Transferred to Colorado on April 21
Transferred from: Pittsburgh
Hayes was one of the most disruptive front-seven defenders in the ACC last season, utilizing a high motor and athletic skill set off the edge to pressure the quarterback. In four seasons with the Panthers, Hayes had 27 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks.
He is ranked the No. 3 overall transfers in ESPN’s transfer player rankings.
Transferred to Colorado on April 21
Transferred from: Ohio
Buell was a third-team All-MAC player for Ohio last year. He was a disruptive presence with 12. 5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 30 total tackles. He posted a verified 5.09 40-yard dash at 280 pounds in high school and has improved that speed and explosiveness while increasing his functional strength.
Transferred to Colorado on April 21
Transferred from: Texas
Kirkland was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class. He redshirted last season and will have four years of eligibility left.
Signed with Colorado in the 2023 recruiting class.
Entered portal: April 22
Hopkins was a four-star prospect in his class and ranked No. 144 in the 2023 ESPN 300. The 6-0, 175-pound Hopkins was also an Under Armour All-American. Hopkins did not play in the 2023 season. He’ll bring a lot of speed to his next team. In high school, he tested better than 93% of FBS prospects and was tracked running an elite 21.98 mph.
Signed with Colorado in the 2024 recruiting class
Entered portal: April 20
A 6-2, 250-pound defensive from Valdosta, Georgia, Brantley was a three-star prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He was the No. 46-ranked DE in the class.
Signed with Colorado in the 2023 recruiting class
Entered portal: April 18
McClain, a five-star prospect, was the No. 14 overall player in his recruiting class. He looked to be another recruiting coup for Sanders & Co. However, McClain was quickly in Sanders’ doghouse and didn’t see game action until the fourth week of the season. He had his ups and downs the rest of the season.
He got more consistent playing time but gave up five passes of 20 or more yards in his 126 coverage snaps last season. Ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s transfer player rankings, McClain has the physical tools to be a solid college player.
Transferred to Colorado from Maine after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 17
Manns spent four years at Maine, where he finished with 108 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. He tied for the team lead in sacks in 2021. Once he transferred to Colorado, he played in 11 games for the Buffs, but had just nine total tackles and one sack.
He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Transferred to Colorado from Kentucky after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 17
Tisdale played in 14 games for Kentucky prior to transferring to Colorado and had 39 total tackles. He had playing time in three games this season for the Buffs but did not record any stats.
Transferred to Colorado from Cincinnati after the 2023 season
Entered portal: April 17
In three seasons at Cincinnati, Metayer accounted for 24 receptions, 290 yards and five touchdowns. All five of his touchdowns came in the 2023 season. Despite that success, he decided to transfer to Colorado and picked the Buffs on Dec. 10, just months ago. He is back in the transfer portal without playing a game for Colorado.
Transferred to Colorado from Old Dominion after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 17
Harris finished the 2022 season for Old Dominion with 33 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In 12 games for Colorado this past season, he played 103 snaps and had 14 tackles and one tackle for loss.
He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Minnesota, transferred to Old Dominion for 2021 and 2022, Colorado for 2023, and he is now on the move again.
Transferred to Colorado from Alabama after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 17
Kennedy was the No. 82 prospect in the 2020 ESPN 300 rankings and signed with Alabama. Over three seasons, Kennedy played in 24 games and had just eight tackles. He played 77 snaps in 11 games this past season for Colorado and had 13 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Transferred to Colorado from Houston after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 17
McCaskill had his best collegiate season during his freshman year in 2021, when he had 961 yards and 16 touchdowns at Houston over 14 games. Those 16 touchdowns led all true freshman backs and set the school’s true freshman record for rushing touchdowns. He suffered an injury that caused him to miss his 2022 season, however, and he transferred to Colorado prior to 2023. He had 14 carries for 59 yards in four games before asking for a redshirt.
He will still have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Transferred to Colorado from Florida after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Conner is a 6-foot-5, 295-pound tackle who redshirted during the 2022 season. He was a three-star recruit in the 2022 class and had offers from Arizona, Maryland and Syracuse, among others. He did not play during the 2023 season at Colorado and will still have three years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.
Transferred to Colorado from Kent State after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Washington is a 6-foot-8, 320-pound tackle, originally from Ohio. He was a three-star prospect and started 11 games during the 2022 season at Kent State before transferring to Colorado. He was considered a good addition for Sanders and his staff at the time and Washington played in 10 games, starting nine, during the 2023 season for the Buffs.
According to TruMedia, Washington allowed just 14 pressures in the 443 passing plays he was in on. He is a grad transfer and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Transferred to Colorado from Old Dominion after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Prior to transferring to Colorado, Wallace played in 23 games at Old Dominion and had 47 total tackles. His stats were similar in 2023 for Colorado, when he had 11 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. Wallace has been durable as an interior lineman, playing in at least 249 snaps in each season and 326 in 2022.
He has a year of eligibility remaining.
Transferred to Colorado from Arkansas after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Slusher is a 6-foot, 195-pound safety who signed with the Razorbacks out of high school as a four-star in the 2020 class. He started in 15 games over three seasons for Arkansas with 93 total tackles and two interceptions. He played in just four games this past season for Colorado because of an injury and is now leaving the program.
Slusher still has two years of eligibility remaining, so his departure is a hit to the Colorado’s depth in the secondary. He is ranked No. 10 in ESPN’s rankings of the top transfer players.
Transferred to Colorado from Auburn after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Dawson signed with Auburn out of high school and played in just four games over two seasons. He transferred to Colorado and played in seven games during the 2023 season. He had 14 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown but was dismissed from the program in February.
Transferred to Colorado from Snow College after the 2022 season
Entered portal: April 16
Jatta was part of last spring’s overhaul as Colorado needed help along the offensive line and Jatta was supposed to be part of the new bodies coming in to help. He was a juco transfer and was named an NJCAA first-team All-American in 2022. He was also the top tackle prospect in the ESPN Junior College 50 player rankings.
He is a 6-foot-6, 300-pound tackle who saw action in 11 games this past season, starting one. He has one year of eligibility remaining and quite a bit of experience under his belt.
Signed with Colorado in the 2023 recruiting class
Entered portal: April 16
Page is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver prospect from Nashville. He was a three-star prospect in the 2023 class. He had offers from Cincinnati, Purdue, South Carolina, Washington and a handful of others but signed with the Buffs.
He redshirted during the 2023 season so he will have four years of eligibility remaining.
Signed with Colorado in the 2023 recruiting class
Entered portal: April 16
Milliner-Jones was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class out of DeSoto, Texas. He played in 12 games as a true freshman this season and started against Washington State. He finished the season with 23 total tackles and two pass breakups. He did not allow any passing touchdowns and only one completion over 20 yards as a primary defender last season.
He has four years to complete three years of eligibility at his next destination.
