Former Colorado Buffaloes Colton Hood, Trevor Woods Find New Homes In Transfer Portal

A pair of former Colorado Buffaloes have found the next stop on their football journey.

On Friday, cornerback Colton Hood committed to the Tennessee Volunteers, and safety Trevor Woods did the same for the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Both defensive backs entered the transfer portal following the 2024 season.

Hood, who entered the portal in somewhat stunning fashion last week, is off to Tennessee after one year with the Buffaloes. His departure followed the transfer of his brother, running back Brandon Hood.

After redshirting his first collegiate campaign with the Auburn Tigers, Hood became one of Colorado's brightest young stars on a team that relied mainly on its veterans. In 2024, the redshirt freshman recorded six pass defenses and two interceptions, including a near-pick-six.

Sep 28, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Colton Hood (3) moves in for the tackle against UCF Knights wide receiver Xavier Townsend (3) during the second half at FBC Mortgage Stadium. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Hood's big day came on Oct. 19 when tasked with guarding one of the nation's premier wideouts, Tetairoa McMillan of the Arizona Wildcats, while two-way star Travis Hunter was being eased back in from injury. Hood stepped up to shut down the future first-round NFL draft pick, limiting McMillan to five receptions for 38 yards, both his second-lowest totals of the season.

Hood was injured in the spring but appeared as a lock to start for the Buffs in the fall alongside DJ McKinney and Preston Hodge, making the transfer back to his SEC roots all the more devastating.

Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders addressed the secondary heavily in April, bringing in former Illinois State Redbirds cornerback Teon Parks, Auburn Tigers safety Terrance Love, Tennessee safety John Slaughter and Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Noah King.

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Woods was a loss that Colorado long saw coming. Last September, he decided to redshirt the 2024 season and entered the portal last December. The safety embarked on a nearly five-month struggle to find a new home, ultimately deciding on Jacksonville State of Conference USA.

While the early redshirt limited Woods to nine total tackles last season, the native of Katy, Texas, was a staple of Colorado's back line since 2021. Woods spent four years in Boulder and was among a handful of players from before Sanders's hiring to stick around.

Between the despair of 2022 and the hoopla of 2023, Woods placed second and third on the Buffs with 79 and 56 tackles, respectively. He was responsible for several memorable moments during his tenure, such as game-sealing interceptions against the California Bears in 2022's lone victory and the Colorado State Rams' overtime classic in 2023.

Woods also snagged a pick and forced/recovered a fumble during Sanders' inaugural contest against the TCU Horned Frogs.

Sep 16, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes safety Trevor Woods (43) intercepts the ball to end the double overtime game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The hiring of defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and his favoritism of one-high safety shells was the beginning of Woods's end. While Shilo Sanders and Carter Stoutmire often patrolled the skies, Colorado's coaching staff moved Woods to linebacker.

His disdain for the strategy and struggles in the spot were likely the driving factors in his decision to redshirt and transfer with one remaining year of eligibility.

Colorado's safety room beefed up following the exit of Woods, bringing in USF Bulls hard-hitter Tawfiq Byard and four-star recruit TJ Branch Jr., along with the spring's additions.

The Buffs may continue their "no-fly zone" status in 2025, but the losses of Hunter, a dazzling youngster in Hood and a veteran presence in Woods trigger defensive backs coach Kevin Mathis to do some rearranging with the remaining talent.