Buffs Beat

Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders Land Transfer Portal Running Back DeKalon Taylor

Coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes signed an important piece to their incoming transfer portal class on Wednesday in former Incarnate Word running back DeKalon Taylor. Last season, Taylor rushed for 909 yards and nine touchdowns with the Cardinals.
Jack Carlough|
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes' depleted running back room added an important piece on Wednesday in Incarnate Word transfer Dekalon Taylor.

With the Cardinals last season, Taylor rushed for a career-high 909 yards and nine touchdowns. The 5-foot-9, 166-pound native of Longview, Texas, also caught 22 passes for 163 yards and returned 19 punts for 286 yards and one touchdown. It's still early, but Taylor could become a viable option to return punts next season for coach Deion Sanders' Buffs.

Taylor, nicknamed "Trackhawk," spent three seasons at Incarnate Word before entering the transfer portal on April 23. The three-star transfer visited Boulder the following day, per his X account.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Earlier this spring, Colorado watched Isaiah Augustave, who led the team in rushing last season, and fellow running back Brandon Hood enter the transfer portal, putting a strain on the Buffs' rushing attack. The only scholarship running backs who remained were Dallan Hayden and former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl.

Taylor is one of five transfers to join the Buffs since Tuesday, joining long snapper Luke Whiting (Idaho State/Florida Atlantic/Georgia Tech), safety John Slaughter (Tennessee), wide receiver Hykeem Williams (Florida State), safety Noah King (Kansas State) and offensive tackle Larry Johnson III (Tennessee). Colorado has now landed 26 scholarship players from the transfer portal this offseason.

According to 247Sports, Colorado's incoming transfer class ranks No. 20 nationally and No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference behind the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Last offseason, Sanders' 43-member transfer haul ranked No. 8 nationally and was tops in the Big 12.

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"Coach Prime" and the Buffs are likely far from finished adding pieces via the transfer portal this offseason.

"I want to target every area," Sanders said during the spring practice season. "You don't just sit back and think you got it, you know? I mean, I think the kicking game is set. . . long snappers as well as kickers and punters, we straight. Everything else is, we need to improve."

Sanders' needs are wide-ranging, but Taylor and the five other transfers who've joined the Buffs this week certainly help the cause. Expect Colorado to add a few more pieces on both lines in the coming weeks.

"One tremendous defensive tackle, another linebacker or two, two safeties, probably three corners, one receiver — that's a grown man, that's as a dog — couple running backs, a tight end, maybe a guard, a tackle, and maybe two centers," Sanders said of Colorado's transfer portal needs.

Colorado's new-look running back room is coached by Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk.

"I gotta take your weakness and turn it into a strength," Faulk said in March. "I believe I'm here, and that's what I'm going to try to do. I can't change what you thought about the run game last year, but we're going to be better. I can guarantee you we are going to be better."

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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