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Transfer Portal Tracker
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— Monday, December 9th … Transfer Portal opens …
— Saturday, December 28th … Transfer Portal closes to non-graduates …
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Scholarship Transfers coming in (9) … (see bios below)
Quarterbacks … Kaidon Salter (Liberty)
Running backs …
Wide receivers …
Tight ends … Zach Atkins (Northwest Missouri State) …
Offensive linemen … Carter Miller (Louisiana-Monroe) …
Defensive linemen … Jehiem Oatis (Alabama) … Gavriel Lightfoot (Fresno State) …
Linebackers … Reginald Hughes (Jacksonville State) …
Defensive backs … Makari Vickers (Oklahoma) …
Specialists … Buck Buchanan (K) (Louisiana Tech) … Damon Greaves (Kansas) …
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Scholarship Transfers leaving (17) … (new school) …
Quarterbacks … Walter Taylor (12/4) … Destin Wade (12/10) …
Running backs …
Wide receivers … Cordale Russell (12/6) … Jordan Onovughe (12/9) … Asaad Waseem (Florida Atlantic) …
Tight ends … Morgan Pearson (12/6) …
Offensive linemen … Payton Kirkland (12/6) … Yakiri Walker (Memphis) … Tyler Johnson (12/10) … Ethan Boyd (12/11) …
Defensive linemen … Rayyan Buell (12/5) … Dayon Hayes (12/10) …
Linebackers … Johnny Chaney, Jr. (11/19) … Nikhai Hill-Green (12/16) … Trevor Woods (12/18) …
Defensive backs … Nahmier Robinson (12/2) … Adonis Forrest (12/9) …
Specialists …
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Damon Greaves – P
Committed December 20th … Greaves is a 6’1″, 170-pound punter from Australia, who comes to CU by way of Kansas … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Greaves … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2023, Greaves, like most punters (and certainly players coming from Australia) was unrated by the recruiting services. Before coming to the United States, Greaves was an Australian rules footballer who most recently played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Greaves is 24 years old … almost young for an Aussie coming to CU as a punter.
Greaves stats for the 2024 season … 33 punts for a 42.3 yards/punt average … long of 58 yards … two touchbacks … 10 fair catches … six kicks inside the 20 … six kicks of over 50 yards …
Greaves had other offers from … no one other than Kansas. Greaves actually enrolled at Kansas before receiving a scholarship offer.
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Makari Vickers – DB
Committed December 18th … Vickers is 6’2″, 195-pound defensive back from Tallahassee, Florida, who comes to CU by way of Oklahoma … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Vickers … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2023, Vickers was rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Vickers was rated as the No. 10 cornerback in the nation, the No. 20 overall prospect out of the state of Florida, and the No. 81 overall prospect in the entire country.
Vickers will have three years of eligibility to play at Colorado.
As a high school prospect, Vickers had this evaluation from 247 Sports … A bigger defensive back with legit top-end speed that has found ways to make an impact in all three phases of the game on Friday nights. A natural playmaker on the backend with ball skills that is quick to read and diagnose. Impressive open-field tackler for someone his age that will strike ball carriers and wrap up. Looser hips allow him to get east-west better than most his size.
Vickers had other offers from … all over the country, including over two dozen Power Four schools. Before committing to Oklahoma, Vickers entertained offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Miami, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee and USC.
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Gavriel Lightfoot – DL
Committed December 18th … Lightfoot is a 6’3″, 296-pound defensive lineman for Corona, California, who comes to CU by way of Fresno State … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Lightfoot … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2022 was considered to be a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, but only a two-star prospect by Rivals. At 247 Sports, Lightfoot was rated as the No. 157 defensive lineman in the nation, and the No. 117 overall prospect out of the state of California.
Lightfoot started 12 games for Fresno State this season and played 504 total snaps. His best showing came against Hawaii on Nov. 2 when the 6-foot-3, 296-pound tackle had 8 tackles in a loss. He received his best grade from PFF (78.3) in a win over New Mexico State when he had 4 tackles.
He generally received higher marks from PFF for his ability to slow down the running game while he was credited with 7 total pressures and 6 quarterback hurries during the 2024 season. He will have one season of eligibility remaining following three seasons with the Bulldogs in which he made 27 starts.
Lightfoot had other offers from … only a handful of schools out of high school. Before signing with Fresno State, Lightfoot entertained offers from Nevada and Hawai’i.
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Kaidon Salter – QB
Committed December 18th … Salter is a 6’1″, 200-pound quarterback from Cedar Hill, Texas, who comes to CU by way of Liberty University … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Salter … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2021, Salter was considered to be a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Salter was rated as the No. 8 dual-threat quarterback in the nation, the No. 24 player overall out of the state of Texas, and the No. 174 overall prospect nationally. At 247 Sports, Salter was listed as the No. 7 dual-threat quarterback in the country, the No. 6 player out of Texas, and the No. 48 player nationally.
As a transfer, Salter is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports, with Rivals listing Salter as the No. 94 overall transfer, while 247 Sports has Salter as the No. 11 quarterback in the Portal, and the No. 87 overall prospect.
Salter redshirted in the 2021 season and saw action in eight games in 2022. Despite missing time with an injury, Salter threw for 1,088 yards and eight touchdowns while also rushing for 285 yards. Salter then emerged in 2023 as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He threw for 2,431 yards and 29 touchdowns in the regular season while also racking up 899 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. “His arm is elite,” Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell said. “This is probably the first time we’ve been around somebody in a while that has that type of strength.”
In 2024, Salter threw for 1,886 yards, with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. Salter also ran for 587 yards and seven more touchdowns, averaging over five yards per carry.
Salter has career totals of 5,887 passing yards, 2,013 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns (56 passing and 21 rushing). He will have one year of eligibility at Colorado.
Salter had other offers from … all over the country as a high school senior. Before signing with Tennessee, Salter entertained offers from schools like Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, UCLA, Utah, Michigan State, and Louisville. Salter signed with Tennessee, but was only there for the spring of 2021, transferring that summer to Liberty.
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Reginald Hughes – LB
Committed December 18th … Hughes is a 6’2″, 230-pound linebacker from Tunica, Mississippi, who comes to CU by way of Jacksonville State … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Hughes … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2020, Hughes was unrated by either service, with Hughes choosing to go the junior college route. Hughes was a three-star prospect from Northeast Mississippi C.C. when he signed with Ole Miss in 2022. Hughes played in ten games over two seasons at Ole Miss, before transferring to Jacksonville State for the 2024 season.
Hughes had 83 tackles, four-and-a-half sacks, and 26 pressures as a redshirt junior at Jacksonville State. He was a first-team all-Conference USA selection, and will have one year of eligibility remaining to play at CU.
Hughes had other offers from … a number of schools when he came out of junior college, before settling on Ole Miss. Since joining the Transfer Portal, Hughes had been a hot commodity, with offers from Georgia Tech, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and Mississippi State.
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Buck Buchanan – K
Committed December 17th … Buchanan is a 5’11”, 189-pound kicker from Marshall, Texas, who comes to CU by way of Louisiana Tech … Rivals bio … 247 Sports …
What others say about Buchanan … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2022, Buchanan was rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, but only a two-star prospect by 247 Sports. Overall, 247 Sports had Buchanan as the No. 17 kicker in the Class of 2022, and the No. 309 overall prospect out of the state of Texas.
As a transfer, Rivals has Buchanan as a three-star player, while 247 Sports has yet to give Buchanan a rating.
A preseason Conference USA all-conference selection this year, Buchanan made two 55-plus yard field goals this year, including a school record 57-yarder vs NC State.
And, what Buff fans are waiting to hear … Buchanan in the last two years at Louisiana Tech had 101 touchbacks on 117 kickoffs (86.3%), allowing 10 returns for 128 yards (12.8 avg). Meanwhile, CU in the last two years has had 40 touchbacks on 134 kickoffs (29.9%), allowing 76 returns for 1,728 yards (22.7) and two touchdowns.
Buchanan had other offers from … a handful of programs out of high school. Before settling on Louisiana Tech, Buchanan entertained offers from SMU, Air Force, and Yale (so another bright student).
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Zach Atkins – TE
Committed December 17th … Atkins is a 6’4″, 240-pound tight end from Olathe, Kansas, who comes to CU by way of Northwest Missouri State … Rivals bio … 247 Sports …
What others say about Atkins … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2022, Atkins was unrated by either Rivals or 247 Sports. As a transfer, though, Atkins, who landed at Northwest Missouri State, is considered to be a three-star transfer prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports, with Rivals listing Atkins as the No. 146 overall prospect in the Transfer Portal, with 247 Sports rating Atkins as the No. 12 tight end in the Portal, and the No. 273 overall prospect nationally.
Over the past two seasons at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school, Atkins had 30 catches for 360 yards and three touchdowns. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Atkins had other offers from … no Power Five schools out of high school. There was some interest from in-state Power Five schools Kansas and Kansas State, but his only scholarship offers came from the likes of Valparaiso and Drake. As a transfer, Atkins had offers from over a dozen programs. Atkins took a visit to Arkansas, and had Illinois, LSU, Ole Miss, Kentucky and South Carolina in pursuit.
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Jehiem Oatis – DL
… Related … Jehiem Oatis, top defender in transfer portal, picks Colorado … from ESPN
Committed December 16th … Oatis is a 6’5″, 320-pound defensive lineman from Columbia, Mississippi … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Oatis … Oatis was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2022. As a high school recruit, Oatis was considered to be a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Oatis was listed as the No. 6 defensive tackle in the nation, the No. 3 overall prospect out of the state of Mississippi, and the No. 99 overall prospect in the nation. At 247 Sports, Oatis was listed as the No. 13 defensive lineman in the country, the No. 1 prospect out of Mississippi, and the No. 92 overall prospect in the country.
As a transfer, 247 Sports lists Oatis as the No. 1 defensive lineman prospect, and the No. 12 overall transfer prospect in the nation.
Oatis has two years of eligibility remaining to compete with the Buffs.
ESPN has Oatis as its No. 5 transfer nationally, having this to say about CU’s new defensive line star:
Background: The massive defensive lineman was the No. 38 recruit in the 2022 ESPN 300 and started 13 games over his first two seasons with the Crimson Tide. Offseason surgeries for shoulder, knee and ankle issues forced him to miss spring practice and limited him at the start of preseason camp, so he played a rotational role early on and averaged 17 snaps per game under Alabama’s new coaching staff.
Unsatisfied with his playing time, he opted to redshirt and sit out the rest of the season to enter the portal. Oatis had 52 tackles, 5 pass breakups and 1.5 sacks during his time in Tuscaloosa and certainly has the size and potential to be an NFL talent at his next stop.
Scout’s take: Oatis battled injuries during his time at Alabama but showed he could be a dominant force on the interior. He has massive size and powerful strength to take on the double-team and eat up space. He has good burst off the snap with low pad level to get an upfield push. Oatis is a strong bull rusher with powerful hands who will collapse the pocket versus the pass.
In his own words … Oatis told ESPN: “I feel like it’s beneficial for me, and I feel like I can give a lot of help to this season, and will have a coach I can depend on and a position coach leading me the right way.”
He said he’s headed to Colorado to “make the team great again.” He made the pick because of coach Deion Sanders, DL coach Damione Lewis and analyst Warren Sapp.
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Nikhai Hill-Green’s message to the Buff Nation …
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Carter Miller – OL
Committed December 15th … Miller is a 6’2″, 300-pound offensive lineman from Brentwood, Tennessee … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …
What others say about Miller … Miller was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2022. Miller spent two years at James Madison before transferring to Louisiana-Monroe for the 2023 season. As a red-shirt freshman in 2022, Miller played in 11 games, starting eight at left guard for JMU. Miller started 12 games at center at Louisiana Monroe this past fall. He graded out at 61.9 on Pro Football Focus two years ago and 58.4 this year. Miller has played 1,399 offensive snaps at the collegiate level.
Miller will arrive in Boulder with two years of eligibility remaining.
Miller had other offers from … Only a few schools out of high school, but the list included Army and Air Force, so Miller is a bright young man. Miller visited Arkansas, Duke and Tennessee as a prep recruit. while Michigan State also made a play for him in the transfer market in recent days.
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30 Replies to “Transfer Portal Tracker”
Brian’s reporting that Trevor’s portaling. Oh well. Anyone else not like the new buffzone format?
Go Buffs
Not a big fan of the Daily Camera format.
Also not a fan of how the departures of NHG and Trevor Woods are headline stories, but all the newcomers get bunched into one story.
Dont like it either, used to visit every day but now once a week
Now we are talking. That Slug Shurmur will now have to do something besides a base handoff with the running game with Salter here. Hope Staub stays too.
Cant fill Hunter’s shoes but Vickers sounds like a catch. He will bring the wood (Trevor style) on some of those skinny WRs
I wanted to see Staub get his shot, but it looks like the writing is on the wall unless he beats out everyone in the Spring…
Me too. And, if he stays, he will! I’d love to see him earn the nod to start next fall. Either way, there’s clearly a culture of competition, and the QBs should all benefit from it. Will be interesting to watch it play out.
Go Buffs
I cannot wait to see the tryouts at QB this spring and next fall.
Go Buffs
Some of these players are rated and in demand, others are a little underwhelming, but with transfer classes size being bigger than the 25 total schollies a school could offer in the past, you will have some guys filling in for those that left. CU may get a few diamonds in the rough by taking on a hungry player who wants to be developed and just hasn’t got there yet; that’s for the coaches to vet out and decide.
But ultimately the Buffs had unused scholarships last two years and can bring in a few extra “diamonds in the rough” hoping to find that next breakout player. The fact that Hunter has given NIL monies to his teammates is great and if the Buffs can reload and improve it’s going to continue to be a thrilling ride… Anyone want to bet against Coach Prime?
Still need to improve the O-line to the point that a real run game can be a point of attack, especially at altitude. With a new QB a stout O-line is the priority for the staff, not that it wasn’t before, no one wants to see their QB/son get killed every game; but it took time to win and attract better linemen. After 9 wins and possibly 10 after the bowl game, the Buffs are in a better place to attract higher quality O-line players while continuing to develop guys like Cash.
Are there any other top flight high school players that didn’t go in the early signing period the Buffs have a line on?
Speaking of transfers, free agency doesn’t end until after the spring window, right?
So, that means there is a first evaluation round, then the second round.
We really won’t know the 2025 roster until August next year. We will have a sense of it, but without access to winter conditioning and spring tryouts, we know little.
The good news? Deion and co know a lot. A lot more than we do. I find no reason to not trust that.
Go Buffs
Yeah, that’s a bummer to lose Nikhai Hill Green. Especially at a position of need. I’m sure there’s always going to be some dudes you don’t want to see portaling, who do. We’ll have to see what Deion and Co come up with to fill the void. And, I guess, just because you test that free agency market doesn’t mean you’ll take whatever’s out there.
The portal giveth and the portal taketh.
Either way, so far, CU’s way, way ahead on that equation.
Go Buffs
way way?
not that it wont get better but “so far” we have gained an unrated O lineman and lost one of our best proven D .linemen
I think his “so far” reference is CU’s lineup in December, 2024, vs. CU’s lineup in December, 2022 …
Yes. Thank you.
Go Buffs
Hill-Green would be a loss, I imagine when a starter leaves they are looking for better NIL money.
bingo
band of brothers is dead
According to 24/7 Prime has nabbed 4 star and 93 rated DL Oatis. Keep em comin. LBs and OL too please
Oatis has an official visit set for this weekend. 24/7 doesn’t have anything but a crystal ball projection.
No commitment yet … but it may be coming soon.
After skinning thru a few portal articles I am seeing not just disgruntled second stringers but a whole bunch of accomplished players on winning teams, especially QBs. The auction is on and I wonder if we will see the NIL limits soon. Maybe not looking at Soto’s instant billionaire contract in a boring sport.
I agree, the portal is going to be loaded. I’m not sure how much this is about the bag ($$$), lack of playing time, or coaches just culling their rosters to a degree. Attrition has always occurred in CFB, even in the pre-NIL and portal years, it was just a little harder to turn teams around. Teams under-performing, coaching upheaval, and program instability are bearing more of the brunt in losing talented players/starters. If a player feels that they are good enough, they want field exposure; so riding the bench with limited chances is not it–they transfer. This places immense pressure on the coaches. I do hope True Frosh and Sophs gain a little more patience, however they now have the agent/rep/advisor in their ear. Certain guys are portaling are desiring a guaranteed starting spot. On the program/NIL side if a player is vastly overpaid and not performing, I think the program wants those players onto their next destination. Performance standards are not supposed to be part of those NIL agreements, however isn’t this really what the NIL valuation is based on.
In CU’s favor we actually played a ton of guys last year compared to other teams having good/great seasons. Younger reserves got a shot–Colton Hood, Augustave, Welsh, D. Miller, Cash and others paved their way. Hardge had his game against Okie State. Portal depth pieces like Phillip Houston and Harden ended up playing huge roles.
When I look at CU’s transfers, only maybe Hayes is a surprise but this has the injury component (he was supposed to be this year and onto NFL), plus Arden Walker, Keaton Wade and others stepped up in his absence. Kirkland maybe, however he might just feel played over, recruited over, and will be further portaled over as things shake out. Johnson was a bust, who knows could be injuries? Same thing with Buell too. Given Yakiri Walker got beat out by Cash and Zilinkas, there was no reason for him to stay. I’m sure there will be more guys entering the portal as touted guys come in. However, there is still risk in portal rankings (Johnson was our #1 OL coming in) but the rankings services seem to do better with portal projections than the HS rankings. In the end, certain guys just do not work out for whatever team. One wildcard that has always been present in CFB is injuries.
I think the NIL market will eventually stabilize, but given the Court decisions favoring the players, I do not see a NIL limit. This will be the result of programs, NIL collectives and donors being burned by higher payed players that did not work out. CFP is getting closer to the NFL model, and your GM/director of player personnel and their department is only as good as their track record.
Look up the yesterday’s House settlement letter to the judge from the player plaintiffs. I do not think it will blow up the settlement. They want unions and collective bargaining to stabilize NIL across all sports, as a means to promote player stability rather than enhance player competition. That would require Congress to act, and Congress could be more inclined to exempt them from employees/collective bargaining than going the other direction. CFB is where competition wins out and where 85%-95% of the real NIL opportunities exist–just a high revenue and donor rich sport.
I close two things: (1) props to Prime for his bag v. Blessing statements–if you are just in it for the immediate bag, that is short-sighted; and (2) I don’t like Dillingham, but props to him for coming out yesterday saying ‘if you enter the portal, at your option, you get to stay and play with us in the playoffs–no questions asked and you may be welcomed back.’ He said take and maximize the portal opportunity now, yet you are still a valued member of our team to the season’s conclusion. That was much better than Lane Kiffen whining about the portal time-frame. If a player is portaling to a new team, they need to arrive at the new school with January enrollment not after Spring ball.
I really hope Woods stays.
I thought Trevor Woods purposefully asked to redshirt to maintain another year of eligibility after 4 games, and I didn’t notice him on the sidelines going forward after that announcement. Honestly, I was sort of happy for him, because I love the guy, but he seemed to struggle compared to other safeties or LBs, even the younger players as opposed to the super seniors. Yet, I don’t see him listed in the portal and expected he’d be one of the first to enter. So maybe he is planning to stay but I struggle to see how he’d get much playing time?
rumor has it Trevor has been putting on weight. another 20 pounds and he should be a good linebacker. The guy loves to hit.
What’s intriguing to me is the lack of outbound transfers so far for CU. At least relatively speaking, compared to the last portaling cycles. I’ll take that as a good thing. Seems like progress. I hope Staub sticks around.
Go Buffs
Should be less that last year, however I think that it will continue to go up some and probably more in the Spring. Some guys will portal, if they appear portaled over in the depth chart or other guys have better spring ball.
Yep. And to Rob’s comment, I hope Trevor stays too!
Go Buffs
Good luck to TWs. I’m sure a team will pick him up and we will get the 1st team reps that he desires. The Buffs are looking beyond, and probably for a different type player(s).
espn has this on the opening portal. Mostly O players (just gimme the damn ball).
one intriguing O player is a TE from ARK who did seem to get the damn ball but everyone knows CU is the graveyard of tight ends. Arkansas’ cupboard will be bare if they dont get a bunch in too.
LB Amare Campbell from NC deserves a look.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42796788/2024-ncaa-football-transfer-portal-live-news-updates-takeaways
“so there won’t be any additions to the CU roster until the 9th at the earliest … ”
We can hope there will be some last minute recruiting flips in cant we?
and anyone out there with connections who know of any who are thinking about leaving? aside from third stringers?
I was talking about the “Transfer Portal Tracker”, and that players can’t sign on with CU until the Transfer Portal opens on December 9th.
Yes, CU is in play to add several high profile recruits on Signing Day.