One of the biggest priorities for Deion Sanders and Colorado in the Transfer Portal was up front on the defensive line. After being one of the worst run defenses in the country a season ago, the Buffaloes needed to reinvent the wheel up front.
Six of Colorado's first 11 portal additions have been on the defensive line. None of them have been bigger than who they landed on Monday night.
Tulane transfer Santana Hopper, the No. 1 defensive lineman in Saturday Blitz's Transfer Portal rankings, committed to the Buffaloes in a major victory for Coach Prime and the Buffs:
BREAKING: Tulane standout transfer DL Santana Hopper has Committed to Colorado, source tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 6, 2026
He's totaled 100 tackles, 25.5 TFLs & 13 sacks over the last three seasons
Hopper is ranked as the No. 2 DL in the On3 Portal Rankingshttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/NhUGlxjS9g
Hopper started his career at Appalachian State before moving on to Tulane. He had an excellent season for the Green Wave in 2025, totaling double-digit tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks.
Santana Hopper's commitment is massive for Colorado
Hopper won't blow you away physically at just 265 pounds for an interior defensive lineman, but just turn on the tape. He's quick, agile, and overwhelmingly powerful for a player his size. There could be concern with him matching up against some of the bigger interior linemen in the Big 12, but Hopper is a dog. One that is going to scratch, fight, and claw his way into the backfield to make plays for the Buffs.
He's the exact type of player Sanders wants, and the exact type of player that was missing this season across the roster.
There's been an obvious trend for Coach Prime in this portal cycle. He's not taking a bunch of Power Four cast-offs this time around. He's identifying talent at the lower levels: standouts at Group-of-Six and FCS schools.
All 11 of Colorado's portal additions thus far have been outside of the Power Four structure.
Sanders has a strategy for this portal cycle, betting on players who have proven they can play at the college level instead of banking on pulling talent out of underperforming kids.
Hopper joins Yamil Talib (Charlotte), Lamont Lester (Monmouth), Dylan Manuel (App State), Toby Anene (North Dakota State), and Balansama Kamara (Albany) as portal commitments on the defensive line for the Buffs.
You can keep up with all of Colorado's Transfer Portal activity by following this link.