Deion Sanders Adds Former Big Ten Lineman To Colorado's Defense

Over 30 players from the transfer portal have now joined the Colorado Buffaloes.

Former Maryland Terrapins defensive lineman Sedrick Smith committed to the Buffs on Sunday. He joins coach Deion Sanders' squad after stops with two HBCU Bulldogs as well, South Carolina State and Alabama A&M.

Buffs Deepen Defensive Line

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines in the first quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Smith didn't play for SC State but had his most notable stint with Alabama A&M in 2024. He recorded 20 tackles (3.5 for loss, five solo), two sacks and three quarterback hits as a redshirt freshman on a solid SWAC defense.

Several marquee programs caught wind of his interior presence, including the Georgia Bulldogs. He visited the SEC powerhouse while collecting offers from Georgia Tech and Purdue before Maryland provided his preferred opportunity.

Last fall for the Terrapins, Smith appeared in all 12 games, mostly on special teams. He accumulated seven tackles in contests against Michigan, Wisconsin, UCLA, Rutgers and Northern Illinois.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Smith boasts a 6-4, 320-pound frame with two seasons of eligibility, sliding well into a newly loaded Buffs defensive tackle room. As Colorado figures out how to bounce back on defense, size and experience in Power Four locker rooms matter.

MORE: New Colorado Safety Naeten Mitchell Reveals How Deion Sanders Earned His Transfer Commitment

MORE: Deion Sanders Lands Transfer Portal Linebacker With a Name Built for Prime Time

MORE: Deion Sanders Shares Update On Quarterback Julian Lewis' Offseason Development

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders celebrates a touchdown with his players in the fourth quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Smith is the 10th defensive lineman Colorado has added since the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2. He's the 13th incoming member of the Buffaloes' front seven, as "Coach Prime" has revamped the nation's second-worst run defense in 2025.

Five of the new defensive linemen are primarily edge rushers, while Smith profiles as the fifth addition to the line's interior. He joins Ezra Christensen (New Mexico State), Santana Hopper (Tulane), Dylan Manuel (Appalachian State) and Tyler Moore (Coastal Carolina).

Hopper, Manuel and Christensen are in pole position to start due to elite play at the Group of Five level, but Smith is the line's first find with Power Four experience. Colorado's new edge rushers are all from either Group of Five or FCS schools: Lamont Lester Jr. (Monmouth), Balansama Kamara (UAlbany), Yamil Talib (Charlotte), Villi Taufatofua (San Jose State) and Toby Anene (North Dakota State).

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston during the spring game at Folsom Field. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Just six more of the Buffs' transfers hail from Power Four programs: safeties Boo Carter (Tennessee) and Randon Fontenette (Vanderbilt), offensive linemen Taj White (Rutgers) and Jayven Richardson (Missouri), quarterback Isaac Wilson (Utah) and linebacker Liona Lefau (Texas). Cornerback Cree Thomas is close enough, coming to Boulder from Notre Dame.

Sanders' ploy to pursue stars from mainly lesser conferences and divisions is one many successful programs have used, such as current AP No. 1 and national title-bound Indiana. Colorado's Power Four pursuits had costly misses, such as defensive lineman Jeheim Oatis.

Colorado's linebacker and defensive back rooms saw significant upgrades, even if not from marquee locations. Lefau, Gideon Lampron (Bowling Green) and Tyler Martinez (New Mexico State) will compete with freshmen Carson Crawford and Rodney Colton Jr. for second-level spots, while Justin Eaglin (James Madison) is a ball-hawking cornerback who has made an impact on the sport's biggest stage. Carter and Fontenette are plug-and-play with an elite pedigree in the SEC.

Cornerback is the defense's biggest position of need left, but depth is still needed at Smith's spot in the trenches.