Colorado Adds SEC Transfer Safety With Long History With Deion Sanders

Oklahoma Sooners transfer safety Jaydan Hardy, a former four-star recruit and son of coach Deion Sanders' old teammate, has signed with the Colorado Buffaloes.

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jaydan Hardy (1) kneels prior to a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Coach Prime is stacking SEC safeties.

The Colorado Buffaloes have signed former Oklahoma Sooners safety Jaydan Hardy, a former four-star recruit who entered the transfer portal after two seasons in Norman, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. The Buffs have now added seven defensive backs to their roster since the portal opened, four of whom are safeties.

Oklahoma's Jaydan Hardy Coming To Colorado

Sep 13, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jaydan Hardy (1) reacts after the game against the Temple Owls at Lincoln Financial Field. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A native of Lewisville, Texas, Hardy played in all 26 of Oklahoma's games over the past two seasons. He posted 17 tackles and two interceptions while breaking up one pass and forcing a fumble.

In the Sooners' biggest win of last season over No. 4 Alabama, Hardy totaled a career-high four tackles and forced said fumble. He logged stops against three other ranked conference foes and appeared in Oklahoma's first-round College Football Playoff rematch against the Crimson Tide. His interceptions came against Kent State last fall and Temple during his first career college game in 2024.

As a freshman at Oklahoma, Hardy shared a locker room with current Buffs cornerback Makari Vickers.

While primarily on special teams, Hardy displayed excellent speed and disruption when given chances at both free and strong safety. He was poised for a versatile role if he stayed under coach Brent Venables, but chose to transfer with two seasons of eligibility remaining, plus a redshirt year.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jaydan Hardy (1) gestures to the crowd after a play during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Missouri Tigers at Gaylord Family Ð Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. Oklahoma won 17-6. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Hardy joined Oklahoma in 2024 as a four-star recruit out of Lewisville (Texas) High School, as 247Sports listed him 13th among safeties and 30th among prospects from the Lone Star State. The 5-10, 180-pounder was ranked No. 179 overall.

In 2023, Hardy was named an Under Armour All-American and Texas District 6-6A utility player of the year. He was the district's co-MVP as a junior after leading Lewisville to a 12-2 record, also earning an all-state honorable mention.

He chose the Sooners over a list of finalists that included Oregon, SMU, Tennessee and Texas A&M. Hardy also received offers from Miami, Alabama, LSU, Texas and many others as a highly sought-after prospect by premier programs.

His father, Darryl Hardy, played 23 games at linebacker in the NFL after an All-SEC career at Tennessee. He was teammates with coach Deion Sanders twice, in 1992 with the Atlanta Falcons and 1995 with the Dallas Cowboys, where they won a Super Bowl together.

Colorado's Stacked Safety Room

Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Boo Carter (23) against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

After standout safety Tawfiq Byard hit the portal, Colorado has made it a position of focus for next season. Now, the Buffaloes have no shortage of talent in the secondary.

Former New Mexico State star Naeton Mitchell could join Hardy as a more over-the-top presence, while Tennessee's Boo Carter and Vanderbilt's Randon Fontenette bring high ceilings to the nickel corner spot.

Mitchell led NMSU in tackles and was a flat-out playmaker, forcing four fumbles and snagging three interceptions last season. Carter has been recruited by Coach Prime since his high school days and possesses incredible athletic upside on defense and special teams. Fontenette presents leadership as a head-hunting captain on Vanderbilt's best team in program history.

In other words, Colorado should have little issue replacing Byard. The same goes for safety Carter Stoutmire. The skillsets of Mitchell, Hardy, Carter and Fontenette should allow safety to become one of the Buffs' key strengths in 2026.