Xavier Hill was on the Outland Trophy watch list last season.
This past week I published “What We’re Hearing About the Offense” and “What We’re Hearing About the Defense” to detail how the team is looking in spring practice. Those posts are going to be obsolete in another month or two.
Deion Sanders, Transfer Portal Savant, changes the makeup of the team after every transfer portal. I don’t think that fact will change anytime soon, and I expect there to be more material changes to the roster this spring.
Today we will take a look at the 2 players that have already committed to the Buffs, and then look at the players that are visiting in the near future or that have expressed serious interest in joining the Buffs out of the portal. We’ll conclude by saying goodbye to the handful of players that are taking the TP train to locations unknown.
Incoming Transfers
Colorado received a commitment last weekend from Memphis offensive lineman Xavier Hill. The 6’4″ 318-pound Hill was named 1st team All-AAC by Phil Steele (the man, the myth and the legend) and 2nd team All-AAC by the conference’s coaches. According to most observers, he was the best player on Memphis’ team last season.
Hill’s Pro Football Focus score last season was an 84. Two points of reference: (a) Travis Hunter’s PFF score (on offense) was 86 last year; and (b) CU’s highest ranked offensive lineman (Justin Mayers) was 70.4 last year. Hill is an elite pass blocker and a very good run blocker. Quite simply, Hill gives CU an All Big 12-level offensive lineman.
There are some that speculate that Hill will play guard — I think that’s probably incorrect. Instead, I think Hill plays tackle given CU’s issues at right tackle. However, if Philip Houston comes back healthy, then Houston could play RT and Hill may slide inside.
There’s been some buzz this spring about Mana Taimani, the tackle transfer from Ole Miss. He’s been starting with the 1s this spring at RT, which has surprised some outside of the Champions Center. Still, I have my doubts — for one thing, Houston is not practicing this spring. Additionally, it’s very rare that a player that struggled to get on the field for 4 years makes a huge leap in productivity in his 5th season.
The other addition thus far is WR Sincere Brown. The 6’5” Campbell Fighting Camel transfer adds even more talent to CU’s wide receiver room. Brown committed to CU over offers from Texas A&M, Michigan, and North Carolina. His highlight tape shows his speed and explosiveness, particulalry for his height.
Brown originally committed to Appalachian State but then committed to USF, where he was teammates with former Buffs Xavier Weaver and Jimmy Horn Jr. Horn Jr. has commented that Brown, who runs a 4.3 second 40-yard dash, is faster than Horn Jr.
After moving closer to home at Campbell, Brown racked up 61 receptions for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns. Brown is a true deep threat – his per catch average of 16.9 yards would have ranked first in the Big 12 (!). Many of his yards were gained on screen plays and hitch patterns – two plays that Pat Shurmur used regularly with Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester last year. Even though Brown is 6’5”, I suspect he’ll be a frequent target on wide receiver screen plays.
“Hey number 78, Let’s do that move from Dirty Dancing!” “OK, Sincere…..”
I’ve called my shot on Brown already – I think he’ll be an NFL draft pick next spring.
Other Portal Possibilities
By my estimation and in order of importance, CU needs to add at least 2 defensive backs (1 cornerback and 1 safety), 1 tight end, 1 running back, 1 more offensive lineman in addition to Xavier Hill, and a linebacker…..but we all know that Deion Sanders is smart enough to take elite talent at any position.
The names set forth below are just the first set of names that we’re hearing and there will be many more names that pop up over the next couple of weeks.
Cornerback Teon Parks is visiting Boulder this weekend.
Let’s start on the defensive side of the ball. This weekend CU will get a visit from Illinois State DB transfer Teon Parks. Parks, a Detroit native, is listed at 6’1” 180 pounds and had 45 tackles, 11 PBUs and an interception for the Redbirds. Per Allen Trieu at 247 Sports, “multiple Big 10, Big 12 and ACC schools have shown interest in Parks.”
At defensive end, Missouri edge Jahkai Lang will also be visiting this weekend. The 6’3” 250-pound Lang totaled 14 tackles and 3 sacks in 2024, and he has 3 years of eligibility remaining. Lang is a very sure tackler and had a PFF score of 65.7. Lang is almost a doppleganger for Taje McCoy (who we will discuss below).
Another edge that Colorado is recruiting is TJ Bush Jr., a defensive end out of Liberty. Bush is 6’3” and 260 pounds, totaling 90 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and 9 pass deflections for Liberty over 2 seasons. Last season, Bush had an overall PFF score of 78.4, which is almost identical to BJ Green’s 78.3 last season. [Colorado’s highest rated returnee on defense is Arden Walker, who had a 80.5 PFF score overall with a remarkable 89.8 PFF score on pass rushing!] Bush would give Colorado another fearsome pass rusher to team with Walker and Sam Okunlola.
Moving over to the offensive side of the ball, CU has been recruiting RBs heavily this portal season. CU talked to Cal running back Jaydn Ott before he committed to Oklahoma (presumably because Ott wants to finish 11thin the SEC). Georgia RB transfer Branson Robinson has expressed interest in Colorado – Robinson was the #1 ranked RB in the country in the 2022 high school recruiting class. He played as a true freshman and had 330 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry but missed the 2023 season with a knee injury and played sparingly last season. It’s not clear if CU has reciprocal interest.
Another name to watch is North Dakota State running back CharMar (“Marty”) Brown. Brown won the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top true freshman in the FCS. He ran for 1,181 yards and 15 TDs this past season. Brown’s game film is extremely impressive.
Folks in Fargo have indicated that Brown is the most talented back to ever play at NDSU, which has a history of great running backs.
On the offensive line, Virginia offensive tackle Blake Steen is a name to watch. The 6’5” 331-pound lineman started 17 games for the Cavaliers. CU has also reached out to South Dakota tackle Joe Cotton. Cotton is visiting Cincinnati and Wisconsin but has expressed some interest in Colorado. Steen’s brother is Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen.
I also know that CU has expressed interest in Cal tight end Jack Endries. Endries has had 1,030 receiving yards and 4 TDs over 2 seasons. The 6’4” 240-pound Endries would help add talent and depth to a tight end room that badly needs more talented bodies. Another TE to keep an eye on is Wisconsin transfer Tanner Koziol. The 6’7” Koziol joined the Badgers this offseason from Ball State, where he had 839 yards receiving and 8 TDs last year. Koziol was Ball State’s leading receiver last year. He would be a home run for CU — but it’s not clear if CU will be able to compete financially for a player that will have all the blue bloods circling.
Leaving on a Jet Plane
DE Taje McCoy is transferring out of the program. McCoy is a very talented pass rusher that struggles against the run. The 6’2” 250 pound edge had 23 tackles and 4 sacks last season. Perhaps relatedly, CU is recruiting Jahkai Lang and TJ Bush Jr. Also perhaps relatedly, Arden Walker has been effusive about freshman DEs Alexander McPherson and London Merritt. Take a listen for yourself:
Isiah Augustave is also in the transfer portal. The RB led Colorado in rushing last season with 384 yards rushing and 4 TDs. With the emergence of Brandon Hood, and the improvement of Dallan Hayden and Micah Welch, this loss isn’t massive but it does underscore the need for another running back in the position room. Getting someone like CharMar Brown would more than fill Augustave’s shoes.
Savion Riley is also transferring out of the program, necessitating the addition of another safety in the transfer portal. Riley was running with the 2s this spring behind Carter Stoutmire and Tawfiq Byard. [Also, those staying up at night worrying about the possibility of Ben Finneseth playing material minutes at safety don’t need to worry – coaches know he’s a special teams ace].
Tight end Sam Hart has left the program, too. Hart is likely to medically retire after suffering a torn ACL midway through last season. Receiver Adrian Wilson has also entered the transfer portal after less than a semester. The 4-star recruit out of Texas (by way of Anchorage, Alaska) previously committed to Arizona State, Oregon and TCU before committing to CU….and now he has another choice to make. Eek. True freshman WRs Quentin Gibson and Quanell “X” Farrakhan Jr. have both made a larger impact in spring practice than Wilson.
Also — Adrian, let’s remember all the good times we had, particualrly me putting together this Hello! post….which post, for the record, is not a post made in vain. No, not a post made in vain. Nope, I’m not mad about making a Hello! post for someone that was a Buff for about 30 days…..nope, Adrian, don’t feel obligated to click the link below to make me feel better about spending a lot of time on the Hello! post….nope, don’t click……
Congrats on the milestone, and your site is great. Nice to read someone that isn’t a “homer” we got too many of those.
Also, I’m scarred by bad oline play and we always need more big bodies.