Colorado gamers in switch portal: Wave of Buffaloes exploring exit after Deion Sanders’ spring recreation debut

Colorado loved what was thought of a wildly profitable spring recreation this previous weekend below first-year coach Deion Sanders, however regardless of that, the Buffaloes roster is poised to look massively completely different by the point fall rolls round. On Monday, a slew of gamers hit the switch portal with the exodus together with everybody from star gamers in 2022 to once-promising prospects who are actually searching for new properties away from the Coach Prime period in Boulder. Extra gamers adopted the Monday departures on Tuesday.

Large receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig is among the highest-profile gamers to make the choice to go away Boulder. The junior made waves on Saturday by catching three passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns throughout the first spring recreation for coach Deion Sanders. A type of passes was a 98-yard rating from switch quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Inglewood, California, was the Buffaloes second-leading receiver final season with 23 catches for 359 yards and three touchdowns.

Fellow extensive receiver Jordyn Tyson additionally introduced Monday that he’s hitting the portal after a profitable first season in Boulder. Tyson completed final season as the highest receiver on the roster with 470 yards on 22 receptions after becoming a member of this system from Allen (Texas) Excessive Faculty. 

Deion Smith, final season’s prime working again, additionally entered the portal on Monday. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior led the workforce with 393 speeding yards and two speeding touchdowns final season. He had 653 yards speeding and 4 speeding touchdowns throughout his 4 seasons with the Buffaloes.

Here is a have a look at the gamers who’ve entered the portal to this point, in keeping with the 247Sports switch portal tracker:

• OL Jackson Anderson: A 6-foot-4, 295-pounder from Mineola, Texas, Anderson redshirted in 2021 and wasn’t a contributor in 2022. He was a three-star prospect within the Class of 2021.
• DL Aaron Austin: The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder was a 3 star prospect within the Class of 2022 out of Fort Price, Texas. 
• DB Tayvion Beasley: Beasley initially signed with Sanders in 2022 when Sanders was the top coach at Jackson State. He transferred to Colorado in December 2022 after notching eight tackles and two interceptions in 9 video games for the Tigers
• LB Shakaun Bowser: The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder from Queen Creek, Arizona, did not report any stats final 12 months. He was a three-star prospect within the Class of 2022.
• LB Devin Grant: The 6-foot-3, 260-pound sophomore has performed in 15 video games and began two throughout his three seasons with this system. He had 14 tackles and two tackles for loss in 2022 and was anticipated to contend for taking part in time in 2023.
• OL Alex Harkey: The 6-foot-6, 305-pounder performed one season at Colorado after transferring from Tyler (Texas) Junior School.
• WR Montana Lemonious-Craig: The celebrity from the spring recreation is among the highest-profile departures from the roster. He’s already receiving gives from FBS applications in keeping with his Twitter account.
• DB Jeremy Mack Jr: The 6-foot junior was a junior faculty switch from East Mississippi CC who had 48 tackles final season with 4 begins. 
• LB Zion Magalei: The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Chandler (Arizona) Excessive Faculty had one sort out in six video games in 2022
• CB Jason Oliver Jr: The rising sophomore defensive again had 11 tackles in 2022 — largely as a reserve and on particular groups. The 6-foot, 175-pounder wasn’t anticipated to see a lot motion in 2023.
• WR Grant Web page: A 6-foot-3, 200-pound rising redshirt freshman who was an possibility for rotational snaps. He performed in two video games in 2022.
• WR Ty Robinson: The junior entered the switch portal after catching 9 passes for for 95 yards and a landing over his profession. 
• DB Oakie Salave’a: Salave’a is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound rising redshirt freshman got here to Colorado as a three-star athlete within the Class of 2022. He didn’t report any stats as a real freshman.
• DL Jalen Sami: Beginning 36 video games throughout his Colorado profession, together with all 12 within the 2022 season, Sami is essentially the most skilled participant of the bunch. He enters the portal as a grad switch. 
• LB Aubrey Smith: Smith had eight tackles and one sack as a real freshman. He was a three-star prospect within the Class of Buford (Georgia) Excessive Faculty.
• DB Xavier Smith: The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder from metro Atlanta signed as a three-star prospect within the Class of 2022. The speedster was the Georgia Area 4-AAAAAA Participant of The 12 months in 2021.
• RB Deion Smith: Smith was a three-star prospect within the Class of 2018 out of Houston.
• WR Chase Sowell: Sowell entered the portal on Saturday. The rising redshirt freshman had two catches for 23 yards in three video games final 12 months, and was anticipated to contend for taking part in time in 2023.
• DB Tyrin Taylor: The rising junior had 26 tackles and one interception final season. He was anticipated to contend for taking part in time as a starter for the Buffaloes previous to coming into the portal.
• WR Jordyn Tyson: The main receiver from final season was a three-star prospect previous to his success with the Buffaloes in 2022.
• RB Victor Venn: A 3-star member of the Buffs’ 2022 class, Venn did not report any stats a season in the past however had some breakout moments throughout the workforce’s spring recreation.
• LB Mister Williams: The 6-foot, 250-pounder rising redshirt sophomore from Westlake Village, California, notched 9 tackles and one move breakup in eight video games in 2022.