Colorado's Transfer Portal Exodus Raises Questions For Deion Sanders' Roster

The Colorado Buffaloes are set to lose a number of players to the transfer portal when it officially opens in early January with 18 players already announcing their intentions to leave the Colorado program as of Monday. The Buffs roster underwent a rebuild when coach Deion Sanders first arrived, and it appears as though "Coach Prime's" program will undergo another makeover before the 2026 season.

Some key pieces remain, including quarterback Julian Lewis, offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, and wide receiver Joseph Williams, but the offseason will be full of questions for Colorado. How do Sanders and the Buffaloes plan on replacing both the offensive and defensive production lost to the portal?

Deion Sanders colorado buffaloes transfer portal departures julian lewis brennan marion offseason questions omarion miller — Oct 26, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines in the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With a recruiting class of 13 commits, how many transfers does Colorado plan to bring in before next season?

Before the 2023 season, Sanders' first with the Buffaloes, Colorado brought in a transfer portal class of 52 players, one that feature future Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. The number of transfers that Colorado relied on was slowly decreasing, but the Buffaloes will have many holes to fill in this year's transfer portal window.

Reasoning Behind Colorado's Exodus

In the era of the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL), roster turnover is a yearly happening. Colorado insider Uncle Neely revealed some of the reasons as to why the Buffs are losing so many players to the portal.

"The super majority of those people, I'm talking 95 percent, are going to be leaving for a bigger bag. This ain't transferring in 1990. This ain't transferring in the year 2000. This is 2025. This is business now. This isn't, 'Oh, I don't like the coach. Oh, I don't want to be treated the way they treat me,'" Thee Pregame Show's Uncle Neely said on his YouTube channel.

MORE: Deion Sanders Reportedly Hires Familiar Name As Colorado Running Backs Coach

MORE: Why Shedeur Sanders Will Bounce Back From Late-Season Struggles

MORE: Insider Reveals Biggest Reason Behind Colorado's Transfer Portal Mass Exodus

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If some of the decisions are purely financial, that reasoning answers some questions but also asks additional ones. Can Colorado compete on an NIL level with the top programs in college football?

The Buffaloes have made a clear financial commitment to competing in the Big 12, signing "Coach Prime" to a five-year contract extension and continuing to increase the contracts given to coordinators. Newly hired offensive coordinator Brennan Marion is set to earn $3 million over two years. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston is set to earn $1.7 million in 2026, making them the highest-paid assistant coaches in Colorado history.

Colorado Buffaloes Transfer Portal Losses

Safety TJ Branch
Defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis
Cornerback Noah King
Cornerback Teon Parks
Linebacker Mantrez Walker
Safety Terrance Love
Safety Tawfiq Byard
Wide receiver Omarion Miller
Defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain
Offensive lineman Carde Smith
Defensive end Alexander McPherson
Offensive lineman Tyler Brown
Defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot
Defensive tackle Christian Hudson
Defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas
Wide receiver Dre'lon Miller
Linebacker Shaun Myers
Safety John Slaughter