Deion Sanders and company received some bad news about one of their highly regarded transfer portal pickups this offseason.
Ezra Christensen, the former New Mexico State defensive lineman, has already used five years of eligibility and has been deemed ineligible. While he could request a waiver to play, he's unlikely to receive one.
DL Ezra Christensen, who was first-team All-CUSA at New Mexico State and committed to Colorado on Jan. 9, but will not be joining the Buffs. He's already played 5 years and I'm told he would need a waiver that he's unlikely to get in order to eligible for 2026. #cubuffs
— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) January 22, 2026
Never had the fair shot Gods good tho 🙏🏾
— Ezra Christensen (@EzraChristense5) January 22, 2026
The defensive tackle could take this to court to appeal, but this is significant news as Colorado loses a veteran presence in the trenches.
If Christensen can't secure that extra year of eligibility, Coach Prime will lean heavily on portal additions Santana Hopper and Sedrick Smith—unless he makes another move for a defensive lineman.
Christensen earned one of PFF's highest ratings this past season, ranking as the third-best interior defender in all of college football.
The First Team All-Conference USA defensive lineman racked up 42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, two pass deflections, and one forced fumble this past season.
He was one of three New Mexico State products joining Colorado through the portal, alongside linebacker Tyler Martinez and safety Naeten Mitchell.
As of today, Colorado holds the No. 46 overall recruiting class for 2026, with their transfer ranking sitting at No. 22. The focus has been on adding speed to the offense while bringing in proven production on defense.
Right now, Coach Prime and company will likely need to find another defensive lineman or two through the portal—and possibly another corner, too.