Buffs Beat

Colorado's Derrick McLendon declares for the 2024 NFL Draft

Buffs linebacker one-and-done in Boulder and coming out early
Josh Tolle|
Derrick McLendon/CU Buffs

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Derrick McLendon is moving on from Deion Sanders and Colorado. In a surprising move the Florida State transfer and current Buffs linebacker declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Wednesday afternoon. He becomes the latest player to move on from the program in the past few weeks.

Due to the four-game redshirt rule and the 2020 season not counting against eligibility due to the Covid pandemic, McLendon could've returned to Boulder for a sixth year, but decided to forgo his final year.

"To my teammates and brothers in battle whom I've acquired here in Boulder and Tallahassee, thank you for the lifelong friendships and special moments of victory we were able to establish and accomplish, on and off the field," McLendon wrote in a post on X. "To the Buff and Seminole nation, I will cherish every moment that I created on Folsom Field and Bobby Bowden Field.

"These experiences helped build my integrity, sportsmanship, and pursuit of excellence," he added. "With that being said, I will be foregoing my last season of college football and declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft."

McLendon racked up 10 tackles and two fumble recoveries in 12 games with Coach Prime's Buffs. He played a total of 423 defensive snaps, according to PFF. Overall, he ends his collegiate career with 71 tackles and seven sacks in 50 games between FSU and CU. 

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Josh Tolle
JOSH TOLLE

Josh Tolle is a writer covering college sports for On SI. Outside of storytelling, the multi-talented broadcaster has play-by-play experience at the professional and collegiate levels. In 2018, he began calling games for the National Women’s Soccer League. He has also called games for the United Soccer League, Concacaf, and the U.S. Open Cup. He has called hockey for the Premier Hockey Federation for the past three seasons and was the play-by-play voice for the Superior RoughRiders of the Western Hockey League. He has provided play-by-play for various other sports including football, basketball, baseball and volleyball events. Since 2015, Tolle has been the voice of Colorado School of Mines Athletics having called football, men's and women's basketball and soccer. He previously wrote for SB Nation.

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