Three years ago when Deion Sanders arrived and nuked the Colorado football roster, there was a mountain of fanfare and some hand wringing that went along with it. No one had ever done something like this before.
Now, all across the college football landscape major roster turnover is the norm rather than the exception. The fact that Deion’s Buffaloes will once again turn over almost half their roster from a season ago isn’t raising a single eyebrow. In fact, it’s expected, and it’s heightening the anticipation in Boulder for next season following a disappointing 3-9 finish in 2025.
As we reach what’s being called the half way point of this year’s transfer portal season, depending upon how you look at it the Buffs are either near the top 20 teams in terms of Transfer Portal roster additions (#21 with 31 additions), or they’re among those programs that have suffered the most losses (35, third most) during this cycle and are a net negative.
Either way (well, both actually) it’s going to be a very different roster when spring football arrives in a few months.
At the halfway point of the portal process, CU has lost the team’s best receiver from a year ago, Omarion Miller, the top three defensive backs, D. J. McKinney and Tawfig Byard and Carter Stoutmire, plus versatile playmaker Dre’Lon Miller and running back Dallan Hayden. Those will be large cleats to fill.
Unlike a season ago, this spring Colorado’s only “stable” positions appear to be quarterback, with redshirt freshman Ju Ju Lewis ticketed for the job, and offensive tackle, where future pro Jordan Seaton mans the left side of the offensive line.
Everywhere else, there will be a lot of new names and faces. As he’s done during his three previous off seasons, Sanders is favoring players from lower divisions who have ample playing experience and not so much Power Four players who’ve been seldom used reserves. There are a couple of exceptions to that rule, of course.
On the plus side, coming to Boulder are four Power Four players from Top 20 programs who didn’t get much playing time at their previous stops. Those include Notre Dame cornerback Cree Thomas, Utah quarterback Issac Wilson (younger brother of former Denver Broncos QB Zac Wilson), Liona Lefau from Texas (a former four-star recruit) and Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter. They’ve all signed on, and may be the only four names most recruiting junkies are familiar with. The others…not so much.
The bulk of the new Buffs were three-star recruits with some playing time under their belts at smaller programs like Sacramento State – where new CU offensive coordinator Brennan Marion was the head coach last year – North Dakota, Tulane, James Madison and New Mexico State, among others. There are even new signees from Monmouth and Albany.
This approach to the portal worked for Sanders in his first offseason, when he brought in Travis Hunter and his son Shedeur Sanders with him from Jackson State. Are there a pair of future All-Americans in this class? We’ll find out.
Colorado Buffaloes Extreme Roster Makeover Continues