Big 12 Football

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders reportedly has a little more work to do to become the first quarterback off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported that Miami quarterback Cam Ward is the current favorite to be the top signal-caller selected and that Sanders needs to "nail the interview process" to claim the QB1 mantle.

"Miami's Cam Ward has the early lead on the race for the draft's QB1, while Colorado's Shedeur Sanders will have his supporters among teams," Howe wrote. "Sanders will need to nail the interview process to solidify himself in the top two, according to a couple of NFL personnel evaluators."

Ward's production in 2024 makes quite a case to be the top quarterback. He threw for 4,123 yards with 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a completion percentage of 67.4. The 22-year-old was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, led the Hurricanes to a 10-2 record and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

Sanders' season was excellent as well as he threw for 3,926 yards with 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions and a completion percentage of 74.2. He was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, leading Colorado to a 9-3 regular season.

Both Ward and Sanders are expected to play in their teams' respective Bowl Games. They'll then turn their attention to the scouting circuit and the 2025 combine as they look to sell themselves to prospective teams on their fit at the next level.

Colorado reportedly has found its heir apparent at the quarterback position amid the impending departure of 2025 NFL draft prospect Shedeur Sanders.

According to Pete Nakos of On3.com, former Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter has committed to transfer to Colorado and play under head coach Deion Sanders next season.

After spending the last four seasons with Liberty, Salter announced his intentions to transfer earlier this month in a statement posted to social media. Nakos previously reported that Colorado was on Salter's list of schools to visit along with Florida State and Syracuse and also named UCLA and Auburn as programs interested in landing him through the transfer portal.

Salter appeared in 35 career games for the Flames and ended his tenure with the program with career numbers of 5,887 passing yards, 56 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions plus 2,013 rushing yards and 21 more scores. He redshirted his first year with the team before appearing in 33 games and making 29 starts over the last three seasons.

Salter garnered national attention during his exceptional 2023 campaign where he led Liberty to a 13-1 record, a Conference USA championship and an appearance in the Fiesta Bowl. He set single-season program records with 32 passing touchdowns and 1,089 rushing yards, though his production dipped this year.

In 2024, Salter threw for 1,886 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 587 rushing yards and seven scores as the Flames finished with an 8-3 record.

It won't be easy to fill the shoes of Shedeur Sanders, who established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation over his two seasons with the Buffaloes. However, it can be expected that Coach Prime will do everything in his power to bring out the best in Salter as Colorado continues its quest for national prominence next season.

Colorado football head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is bullish on Bill Belichick's chances to excel with UNC, so much so that he thinks it'll be easier for the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach to find success in Chapel Hill than he did with the New England Patriots.

Sanders made his remarks on the Pacman Jones Show (h/t TMZ Sports).

"Bill Belichick is Bill Belichick," he said.

"The track record stands alone. No one in the NFL has accomplished what he's accomplished. Making that translate to college football, I feel like that's an easier role to come to college football and have success than it is to rekindle that fire he had in New England."

Sanders also made clear that he's a friend of Belichick.

"I love Coach Belichick, man," Sanders added. "I'm a fan and not only that, I like to be known as a friend of Coach Belichick. I love what he's doing, I'm happy about it."

Sanders has found his own success at Colorado, turning a 1-11 program the year before his arrival into a 9-3 team that's 20th in the Associated Press poll.

Belichick, of course, also found great success in the NFL, winning two Super Bowls as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator in 1986 and 1990 before adding six more as the Patriots' head coach (2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016, 2018).

After a year away from coaching, Belichick is embarking on a brand-new challenge. He's joining UNC on a five-year deal ($10 million per season). It's a stark transition for someone who coached in the NFL ranks in various capacities from 1975-2023.

Belichick did grow up watching his father, Steve Belichick, coach and scout at Navy for nearly his entire childhood. The elder Belichick also coached at UNC from 1953-1955.

Now his son is back there seven decades later, hoping to become the fourth head coach in football history to win an NCAA championship and Super Bowl alongside Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and Pete Carroll.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders told reporters on Tuesday that he realized Travis Hunter had a Heisman Trophy in his future from his very first practice three years ago at Jackson State.

"When he went out there at receiver and did his thing, then went from receiver to defensive back and shut it down. I knew right then it was something special," he said (4:20 mark). "It's one thing to watch highlights of a young man in high school, it's another to see it in person. And when you know the game, you know athleticism, you know what I know, you come where I come from—you know when you see something that is abnormal. This kid, from day one, has been abnormal with an appetite to dominate."

Hunter's 2024 season has been the stuff of legends—92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns on offense and 31 tackles, four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and one forced fumble on defense.

Almost every conceivable award followed, with Hunter earning the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award (college player of the year), Biletnikoff Award (best receiver) and the Bednarik Award (best defensive player).

More importantly, Colorado went from 4-8 in Sanders' first year as the head coach in 2023 to a 9-3 record this season, the No. 20 ranking to close the year and a berth in the Alamo Bowl against BYU on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Yes, the Buffaloes blew the chance to reach the Big 12 Championship Game—which would have given them a chance at the College Football Playoff—by losing to Kansas on Nov. 23. But the 2024 season was nonetheless a resounding success.

As for Hunter's personal success, he attributed a ton of it to the coaching of Sanders and the quarterback play of Shedeur Sanders.

"Coach Prime, Shedeur, y'all changed my life forever," he said during his Heisman speech.

"Coach Prime told me this journey would be bigger than anything before," he added. "He believed in me, not just as a player but as a person."

That faith was more than rewarded.

Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis has committed to Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Oatis was the top overall defensive lineman in the in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports.

The junior transfer started 13 games for the Crimson Tide during his first two years. He recorded 57 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and five passes defended.

Oatis played in just four games for Alabama this season before opting to redshirt and not participate in the remainder of the season, per Thamel. He recorded two tackles and one pass defended.

Oatis has said that playing time was a big reason for his decision to part ways with the Alabama program, per Thamel.

"He's been battling injuries, not been able to perform or produce in the way that any of us would like," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said back in October, per Tide Illustrated's Jack Knowlton. "But my focus is on the players that are going to do everything they can to help us win football games. So that's really where my focus is right now."

Oatis did not appear in Alabama's 40-25 loss against Vanderbilt on Oct. 5, solidifying his decision. Head coach Kalen DeBoer expressed that he was not surprised by the choice, according to Knowlton.

"Jaheim, it felt like it was going that way," DeBoer said, per Knowlton. "I think you also have to understand there's other elements to this. There's health elements, there's life elements. I love these guys, they work hard and Jaheim's choices, there's reasons for that. He has notified and continued to be in communication here with us. Kinda felt like it was maybe going in that direction, not just today or yesterday but just here in the last few days. We move forward with the guys that really are able to help us win and focused on our program."

The Crimson Tide stand at 9-3 ahead of their bowl game against the Michigan Wolverines. Despite being a highly touted team, Alabama failed to make the 12-team playoffs.

2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter's impact on Colorado has been immeasurable both on and off the field.

During an appearance on Zero 2 Sixty, Buffaloes videographer Deion Sanders Jr. revealed that Hunter doesn't receive any money from the program's NIL collective and actually contributes to the collective himself.

"God-given character for sure. You know he receives no NIL from the collective, and he's one of the biggest donors to the collective? He's paying a lot of other people's NIL on this team," Sanders said at the 18:45 mark.

Sanders added that Hunter is paying "at least 10 to 15 guys'" NIL money this season.

Per On3.com, Hunter has an NIL valuation of $5.2 million, which ranks second in all of college sports behind only his teammate Shedeur Sanders, as the Colorado quarterback is making $6.2 million. Hunter's known NIL deals include companies like Adidas, United Airlines, 7-Eleven and Celsius.

In addition to his selfless act of contributing to the NIL collective, Hunter is also gearing up to join his teammates one last time for the Valero Alamo Bowl against BYU on Dec. 28. Despite winning the Heisman Trophy and being one of the candidates to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL draft, he still chose to suit up for his final chance to play for Colorado.

"It's definitely important, because I started this thing with Coach Prime, and Shedeur, and most of the coaches on the coaching staff, so I wanted to finish it off right," Hunter said of his decision last week. "I didn't give them a full season my first year, so I'm gonna go ahead and end this thing off right. It's going to be our last game together, so I'm going to go out there and dominate, and show loyalty that I have for them.

That type of attitude is sure to endear Hunter with fans as he prepares for his NFL career and transitions to the next level.

Colorado linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green is planning to enter the transfer portal, according to Pete Nakos of On3.com.

Hill-Green initially transferred to Colorado after spending the 2023 season with Charlotte, earning All-Big 12 Second Team honors in his lone year with head coach Deion Sanders' program.

He was a key member of a Buffaloes defense that made improvements across the board from 2023 to 2024, helping the team progress from 4-8 to 9-3.

In 12 appearances, Hill-Green racked up 82 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions.

Dealing with losses in the transfer portal isn't new for Sanders, as the team underwent roster turnover ahead of his first season in 2023 as well as the 2024 offseason. Portal additions such as Hill-Green have been key to the Buffaloes' turnaround this year, and Coach Prime doesn't appear to be worried about navigating through an eventful offseason again.

Colorado also received some good news on Monday, as linebacker Jeremiah Brown chose to withdraw from the transfer portal and return to the school in 2025 (via Nakos). Brown has tallied 17 tackles and a pass defensed in 16 appearances over the past two seasons and could be in line for a larger role following Hill-Green's departure.

The Buffaloes will likely look vastly different in 2025, as quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are both expected to hear their names called in the NFL draft.

In order for Colorado to remain a contender in its second season as a member of the Big 12, continuing to improve on the defensive side of the ball will be crucial.

The Buffaloes have allowed 353.7 yards per game in 2024, the eighth-highest mark in the conference.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is reportedly set to host one of the best players in the transfer portal for a visit.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, former Alabama defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis is in Boulder on Monday to visit with Sanders and the Buffaloes. Thamel ranks him as the No. 1 defensive player in the transfer portal.

In October, Oatis opted to redshirt the 2024 season and enter the transfer portal at the end of the year. After starting 13 games over his first two years with the Crimson Tide, his playing time decreased significantly under new head coach Kalen DeBoer, and he cited that as a reason for his decision to transfer.

"Getting the reps and looks that I'm getting, I feel like it's better for me to move on somewhere new," Oatis told Thamel at the time.

Oatis underwent three offseason surgeries on his shoulder, knee and ankle, but he's been healthy since the end of training camp. Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said during a news conference in October that injuries had hindered Oatis and he had "not been able to perform or produce the way that any of us would like."

Oatis was a 4-star recruit and the No. 12 defensive lineman in the class of 2022 in 247Sports' composite. He has career numbers of 57 total tackles, five passes defended and 1.5 sacks.

Colorado is set to look different next year with the impending departures of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Coach Prime will surely be looking to add star power through the transfer portal, so Oatis would be an instant impact player if he lands with the Buffaloes.

Troy Aikman got a firsthand look at how successful a Sanders can be in the NFL, and he believes Shedeur Sanders will follow in his father's footsteps and thrive at the next level.

"I do think he's a franchise quarterback," the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current Fox broadcaster told TMZ Sports when discussing the Colorado signal-caller. "I love his game. I've obviously been watching him for a number of years, I know his father intimately well. What Shedeur's been able to do is remarkable."

He added that he believes Sanders is "going to have a hell of a career" in the NFL.

Aikman and Deion Sanders were teammates with the Cowboys for five seasons from 1995-99 and won a Super Bowl together during the 1995 campaign. It was Aikman's third Lombardi Trophy and Sanders' second.

The older Sanders is now the head coach of Colorado, and the Buffaloes improved from 4-8 in his first season to 9-3 in his second in large part because of his son at quarterback.

Shedeur Sanders completed 74.2 percent of his passes for 3,926 yards, 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions and finished in eighth place in Heisman voting. His teammate, Travis Hunter, took home the coveted award after an excellent season as both a wide receiver and cornerback.

Both are surely eyeing the next level at this point, and B/R's NFL Scouting Department listed Sanders as the No. 9 overall player and No. 2 quarterback behind Miami's Cam Ward in its latest big board of NFL draft prospects.

Sanders is also listed as the most-accurate passer and most pro-ready quarterback.

It is likely only a matter of time before Aikman is calling his games from the broadcasting booth, and the former Cowboys signal-caller has big expectations for the younger Sanders.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders must've had a crystal ball when he pitched Travis Hunter on playing for Jackson State.

After Hunter was named this year's Heisman Trophy winner, Sanders shared a direct message exchange they had in November 2020. He said at the time that Hunter should follow him and his dad, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, to Jackson State, where he could "do something that hasn't been done before."

That ultimately proved true for Hunter at Colorado.

In his two seasons with the Buffs, the two-way standout has 1,873 receiving yards and 19 touchdown receptions along with 43 tackles, seven interceptions and 16 pass breakups. You have to go back a long way to find a college player who impacted the game on both offense and defense to this degree.

Hunter is also the first defensive player to win the Heisman since Charles Woodson in 1997. Woodson's candidacy that year was likewise boosted by the fact he lined up on defense and special teams.

In his acceptance speech Saturday, Hunter shouted out Deion and Shedeur Sanders and said they "changed my life forever."

Florida State fans, meanwhile, were left to ponder what could've been.

Hunter, the No. 1 player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2022, originally committed to the Seminoles before backtracking and signing with Jackson State. He then followed Deion Sanders to Boulder after the Hall of Fame cornerback took the Colorado job in 2023.

Whereas a different coach might've thought it best for Hunter to pick one position over the other, Sanders has fully embraced his two-way abilities and steadfastly refused to box him in as a receiver or cornerback exclusively.

When he first joined Jackson State, Hunter couldn't have possibly imagined his college career would reach these kind of heights.