Colorado football lost who The Denver Gazette’s Tyler King called the “most vocal member of the 2024 recruiting class” on November 19 when offensive lineman Talan Chandler flipped from the Buffs to his home-state Missouri Tigers.
“I decided to flip my commitment because this was a dream opportunity for me,” Chandler said of Missouri (h/t Rivals). “Playing at Mizzou has always been a dream of mine and it was an opportunity I did not think I would have. When the opportunity arose me and my family talked and prayed on it and decided that it was best for me and my future. Mizzou is on the rise and the program has a great future. Coach (Brandon) Jones, the OL coach, has done a great job of developing people and I love that. Overall, it was the best choice for me and my future.”
As BuffsBeat’s Josh Tolle points out, though, Colorado is not empty-handed along the offensive line in 2024, with the cupboard being far from bare at perhaps the most important position of improvement for the Buffs to be able to compete in the Big 12.
“With (Chandler) dropping from the program, the Buffs are currently down to a total of ten players in the 2024 class with Issiah Walker Jr. being the only O-lineman,” Tolle prefaced before saying, “They still have two high-value four-star talents with two-way star Aaron Butler and defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain on the way.”
Colorado football likely to seek improvements in the transfer portal
With several high school recruits de-committing from the University of Colorado, it’s easy to assume the worst. But the reality is that the transfer portal was always going to be the most likely route for improvement for Coach Prime; who has one more year with his son Shedeur Sanders before No. 2 takes to the NFL draft.
The rebuild isn’t going to be quick, but Deion Sanders is still going to seek enough improvements in the transfer portal to put Shedeur in the best position possible to cash out as a pro in 2025. Ditto for his other actively playing son Shilo, who Coach Prime will want to promote as the leader of a stout Buffs defense; one that will only earn that label with an improved cast after what Charles Kelly’s unit produced this season.