The Transfer Portal hits keep on coming for Deion Sanders and Colorado.
After seeing announcements from both Omarion Miller and Tawfiq Byard earlier this week declaring their intentions to enter the Transfer Portal, the Buffaloes took another major loss on Friday morning.
Freshman edge rusher Alexander McPherson, a player Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said you could build your defense around earlier this season, has decided to enter the portal when the window opens on January 2nd:
BREAKING: Colorado true freshman EDGE Alexander McPherson is entering the @TransferPortal, his rep tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 19, 2025
The 6’5 250 EDGE appeared in 10 games this season, totaling 16 Tackles, 6 QB Hurries, 1 blocked punt, & 0.5 Sack
3 years of eligibilityhttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/Sp2oIJLrHI
It's a full-on rebuild in Boulder.
Alexander McPherson is the latest major Transfer Portal blow for Colorado
McPherson's stats may not jump off the page from his freshman season with Colorado, but he was fifth on the team in QB pressures. He had a bright future in Boulder, but will now look at finding greener pastures elsewhere.
Such is the price you pay for a 3-9 season. The belief that things are going to turn around from the Colorado locker room is clearly lacking. That's how you lose your best offensive player (Miller), your best defensive player (Byard), and now one of your most promising young players.
Coach Prime will have a LOT of work to do in the Transfer Portal when it opens to fight back and land some players. Sanders has said numerous times that the only reason players leave Colorado in the portal is for money. But the Buffs are going to have to be big portal spenders next month in order to build a competitive roster.
If not, things could go from bad to worse in 2026. We thought the 2025 season was rock bottom, but things can get worse. Right now, things are on track to be much worse next season.
Sanders will find some talent in the portal and rebuild the roster, but it's hard to believe with Colorado's budget that he will be able to find players as talented as Miller, Byard, or McPherson.
Unfortunately, this probably isn't the last devastating blow that Colorado will take this offseason. More is likely coming, leaving Sanders and a (likely) rebuilt coaching staff scrambling for answers.