Outside of a few standout players, the Colorado Buffaloes faced challenges with their incoming transfer portal class from last year. This group was intended to help make up for the departures of key players like quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. However, the class fell short in terms of leadership and overall performance, leading to a difficult season. Coach Deion Sanders acknowledged these shortcomings late last season, but he has since worked to ensure that this year’s class will not repeat the same mistakes.

In January alone, Colorado made significant strides by adding 42 incoming transfers from a variety of schools, including FCS, Group of Five, and Power Four programs. What stands out this time is the quality of the players—many of them were not only successful on the field but also served as leaders on their previous teams.

Colorado insider Phillip Dukes shared his perspective on the differences between this year’s class and last year’s during an appearance on the “DNVR Buffs Podcast.” He noted that while last year focused more on the physical attributes of players—such as height or star ratings—this year’s approach emphasizes character and leadership.

“Last year, it was more about what you got. Oh, I got this guy, the 6-foot-4. I got this guy, he was a five-star,” Dukes said. “This time, it’s more about who you got. Oh, he was a captain previously. When you talk to people at that school, they say he was a first-in, first-out type of guy.”

Several new additions have been praised for their leadership qualities, including safety Randon Fontenette from Vanderbilt and linebacker Gideon Lampron from Bowling Green. Both were captains at their previous schools and are expected to bring strong leadership to the team.

Dukes drew a comparison between Colorado’s current recruiting strategy and a past approach used by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. He described how the Falcons once implemented what they called the “Falcon Filter,” which required players to have a certain type of resume before being drafted. This was partly due to past issues involving players like Mike Vick.

Similarly, Dukes suggested that Colorado now has its own version of this process. “There’s kind of like a Buff filter right now. ‘Hey look, how much do you like ball?’ is the question when they’re calling a recruit,” he said.

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Coach Prime Taking Hands-On Approach

After spending the summer in Texas recovering from bladder cancer, Coach Deion Sanders has taken a more active role in Colorado’s recruiting efforts this offseason. On the “Thee Pregame” show, he discussed how he is personally vetting every transfer on the Buffs’ radar to find players who align with the program’s goals.

Recruiting transfers can be a complex task given the fast-moving nature of college football rosters, but Colorado seems to have developed a more refined approach after learning from last year’s challenges.

Other notable incoming transfers include wide receivers DeAndre Moore Jr. from Texas and Danny Scudero from San Jose State, defensive lineman Ezra Christensen, offensive tackle Bo Hughley from Georgia, cornerback Justin Eaglin from James Madison, and running back Damian Henderson II from Sacramento State.

For a detailed look at Colorado’s latest transfer portal class, readers can check out Colorado Buffaloes on SI’s transfer portal tracker.

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