Former Colorado Safety Carter Stoutmire Chooses SEC Over Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes offseason has been a roller coaster for fans, with more than half of last year’s roster entering the transfer portal. While Deion Sanders and his staff moved quickly to reload, many of those exits came as players looked for opportunities at bigger programs.

One of the more notable exits was starting safety Carter Stoutmire, who has since committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks. With one season of eligibility remaining, Stoutmire leaves Boulder after a productive year in which he played a key role in holding together Colorado’s secondary.

Colorado addressed the losses of Stoutmire and Tawfiq Byard by adding Boo Carter from Tennessee and Randon Fontenette from Vanderbilt. In many ways, those additions suggest Sanders and his staff may be betting on higher upside and better schematic fit moving forward.

Deion Sanders Carter Stoutmire Travis Hunter Shedeur Sanders Tawfiq Byard Colorado Buffaloes Arkansas Razorbacks Transfer — Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Carter Stoutmire (23) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

That belief hinges on how quickly the new pieces come together, but both newcomers bring traits that better match what Sanders wants defensively next season.

For Stoutmire, the move to the Razorbacks offers a fresh start and a clearly defined role. While his departure still stings for the Buffaloes, his steady presence during a turbulent season in Boulder shouldn’t be overlooked.

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Analyzing Carter Stoutmire's Decision To Transfer

From the outside, it’s easy to see why Stoutmire chose to leave Colorado.

Even if he had stayed with the Buffaloes, his talent may not have been fully maximized. Moving to an SEC program gives him more exposure and the chance to work under a coaching staff that can better develop his skills.

The Razorbacks recently hired former Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield, who has shown what he can accomplish even with limited resources. That level of proven leadership is something Colorado, coming off a 3-9 season, simply can’t offer right now.

Since Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders left for the NFL, the Buffaloes have also lost some of the national spark that once drew top recruits.

For experienced players using their final year of eligibility, that makes it tough to stay put. Even if a player isn’t NFL-bound, they want the best chance to grow and succeed.

With the SEC and Big Ten consistently producing the most NFL talent, it’s no surprise that Stoutmire and others decided to take their final season elsewhere.

For Stoutmire, the decision was about putting his final season in the best possible position to succeed. In today’s college football landscape, moves like this are becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Deion Sanders Worked Quickly To Rebuild Colorado’s Secondary

Sanders and his staff had a lot of work to do this offseason to revamp the Buffaloes’ secondary, and they deserve credit for how quickly they acted. Colorado’s defense struggled last season, but with these additions, there’s reason to believe it could be much improved moving forward.

Adding Carter and Fontenette at safety were key moves, and the Buffaloes also brought in Cree Thomas from Notre Dame and Justin Eaglin from James Madison. All of these players, aside from Fontenette, still have multiple years of eligibility.

This gives Colorado both experience and long-term depth. If the new pieces click quickly, the Buffaloes could see a dramatic turnaround in pass defense and a more consistent presence in the back end.

With a mix of experienced transfers and young talent, Sanders has put together a secondary that not only addresses immediate gaps but also has the potential to become one of the team’s most reliable and impactful units in the coming seasons.