2 most glaring Colorado needs coming out of the transfer portal
By Josh Yourish
Coach Prime has introduced a new method of roster construction to the college football landscape, relying almost exclusively on the transfer portal to fill out his 85 scholarship spots on the roster. This offseason, he added 24 transfers and only six high school recruits but still has the Colorado Buffaloes in a much better spot after a 4-7 record in Year 1 of his tenure.
The media attention may have waned after a hot start to 2023, but the program still has serious momentum heading into 2024, with an elite quarterback and plenty of offensive talent around him. Especially considering the high-level incoming transfers. However, the roster still has holes that went unaddressed.
To fill these spots, Prime will either need to develop an internal candidate or wait until the portal reopens on May 1 to get a quick fix to certain problems on his depth chart.
The roster is not yet complete in Boulder, but after signing day and the transfer portal, it’s close to the group that will run out onto Folsom Field on August 31st for Week 1 of the college football season. That group might be weak at these positions.
1. Running back
The run game ranked dead last in the country last season, but Coach Prime addressed his team’s offensive line in the portal. Colorado added serious talent to the interior of the line and has star power at tackle with freshman Jordan Seaton.
The Buffs also added at wide receiver and tight end to give Shedeur Sanders targets to throw to, but the one weakness left is at running back. Anthony Hankerson transferred away to Oregon State after leading Colorado in carries last season, so now Dylan Edwards, who ran for 321 yards and one touchdown as a freshman will need to be a workhorse at 5-foot-9 170 pounds.
Kamron Mikell is a four-star athlete who has two-way potential but could fit in as RB2 on next year’s roster. However, if Coach Prime views him as a defensive back, then 5-foot-9 210-pound Sy’Veon Wilkerson will need to be the thunder to Edwards’s lightning. That’s not a good spot to be in and the offense will lean heavily on Sanders again next year.