Colorado Safety The Latest Buffalo To Enter Transfer Portal

The Colorado Buffaloes' defensive departures continue.

Safety John Slaughter will enter the transfer portal after one year under coach Deion Sanders, according to a report by On3's Hayes Fawcett on Monday. He's the fourth safety and 17th Buff on scholarship expected to transfer out of Boulder since last season ended.

The native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, came on as a starter late last season but will head elsewhere with two years of eligibility remaining. He's the second safety of note to hit the portal in the last week, as standout Tawfiq Byard has also announced his intent to transfer.

John Slaughter To Transfer After Promising Season

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Slaughter totaled 24 tackles, forced a fumble, logged one quarterback hurry and was the Buffaloes' only player to snag multiple interceptions in 2025 with two. The redshirt sophomore appeared in 11 of Colorado's 12 games and started three of the last four.

Against West Virginia in week 10, Slaughter logged his first interception and made a 22-yard return. He picked off another pass one game later against Arizona State, also forcing a fumble and swarming for six tackles that week.

While not the most polished tackler, Slaughter was a ballhawk and hard hitter poised to start full-time for Colorado next fall. But as is the case for Byard, he may favor a more established program that could more reliably translate his skill set to wins.

Slaughter transferred to the Buffs last offseason after two years with the Tennessee Volunteers, where he appeared in 23 games as mainly a special teamer. He contributed six total tackles and one interception.

The Future Of Colorado Safeties

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos safety Ben Finneseth (28) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While plenty of intriguing potential targets exist for Colorado to pursue in the portal, its current safety room is shaky at best. Carter Stoutmire and Ben Finneseth are veterans who started intermittently last season but struggled to find consistent production or impact.

Slaughter and Byard were among the defense's most impactful pieces, especially in the secondary. Their traits and room for growth will be difficult to replace, especially with the number of years they have ahead of them.

If the portal doesn't bring outstanding returns, freshman defensive back Preston Ashley may have a vital role. The four-star recruit has spent time at both cornerback and safety and could be asked to play a fair share of both.

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Abu Sama (24) carries the ball past Colorado Buffaloes defensive back John Slaughter (13) in the second half at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Buffaloes have had success in finding a safety who excels in the front seven, but especially after the loss of Slaughter, it's paramount that they target someone capable of leading the back line. At its best, Colorado's defense runs through its safeties, just like defensive coordinator Robert Livingston builds his scheme around.

One-high safety sets have been Livingston's forte since arriving in Boulder, but without a clinical communicator, it has struggled. Namely, Stoutmire was wildly inconsistent playing that role last season, resulting in flimsy run support and cornerbacks often left out to dry.

Colorado can't afford to simply run it back at any spot on defense. All hands should be on deck to rebuild a front worthy of the Big 12, or risk wasting the resources devoted to new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and promising freshman quarterback Julian Lewis.