Colorado Looking to Add Weapons for Julian Lewis in Transfer Portal

Business is picking up.

Among their many needs, the Colorado Buffaloes are hunting for a wide receiver who can help replenish the loss of All-Big 12 selection Omarion Miller. Coach Deion Sanders' squad is reportedly a top suitor for former Missouri State Bears standout Tristian Gardner, one of the most productive youngsters on the market.

Colorado Among Teams In On Missouri State's Tristian Gardner

Missouri State wide receiver Tristian Gardner (15) carries the ball during the football game against Middle Tennessee on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at MTSU. | HELEN COMER/The Daily News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Mike Roach of 247Sports, Colorado is one of three teams "expected" to pursue Gardner once the portal opens on Friday, along with the Penn State Nittany Lions and Duke Blue Devils.

Penn State could use a boost on the perimeter with former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell taking charge, and Duke may look to capitalize on an unlikely ACC Championship run to make splashes in the offseason.

Gardner was a big play machine on an extremely balanced Missouri State side that went 7-6 and made a bowl in its first year at the FBS level. The freshman ranked third on the Bears with 30 catches for 465 yards on a team-high 15.5-yard average, and he placed second with six touchdown grabs.

Missouri State wide receiver Tristian Gardner (15) reaches for the ball defended by UTEP wide receiver Rafeald Campbell (18) during the homecoming football game on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. | Michael Gulledge/Special to the News-Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Missouri State opened the season against USC, during which Gardner caught the program's first FBS touchdown from 33 yards out. He eclipsed 50-plus yards three times and had his standout performance against Liberty, five catches for 80 yards and a score. Two weeks later, he caught two touchdowns against Kennesaw State.

Listed at 6-2 and 180 pounds, Gardner was a zero-star recruit but emerged late after transferring to Waxahachie (Texas) High School, earning 6A All-District first-team and Offensive Player of the Year honors as a senior. The Dallas native attended the same high school as Colorado cornerback Preston Hodge, who recently graduated from the program.

Gardner's late bloom garnered offers from UTSA, Texas State, Sam Houston and Bowling Green to go with Missouri State. 247Sports ranks him No. 52 among wide receivers currently in the portal, soon to find a Power Four home.

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Texas Connections Could Help Recruitment

Missouri State wide receiver Tristian Gardner (15) carries the ball as Middle Tennessee cornerback Devan Carlisle (15) makes the tackle during the football game on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at MTSU. | HELEN COMER/The Daily News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gardner has a similar background to current Colorado wideouts in many respects. The Buffs had more Texans on their 2025 roster than any other state of origin, including the bulk of their remaining receivers.

Joseph Williams, Colorado's A1 option entering 2026, is an Arlington native who also started his career in Conference USA with Tulsa. Quentin Gibson won MaxPreps' National High School Player of the Year on the same level as Gardner at North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas), though the two never squared off. Quanell X Farrakhan Jr. was a four-star prospect at North Shore High School in Houston.

Williams has been an early force in Colorado's portal efforts, and he'll be vital for bringing in new playmakers alongside offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. The new hire was a wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator for the Texas Longhorns in 2022.

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) catches a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Williams currently defines the outlook of the Buffaloes' wide receiver room, as his connection with quarterback Julian Lewis stood out in the latter's four appearances last fall. With pieces like Omarion Miller and Dre'lon Miller headed elsewhere, he'll take charge on and off the field.

Gardner would be a massive addition to the room already on a similar path, well-built to stand out in an offense that prioritizes strength and burst like Marion's.