Colorado has a new transfer drawing big expectations, and Deion Sanders isn’t hiding where he thinks the ceiling is. Boo Carter, the Tennessee transfer, is already being talked about in Boulder as a potential impact player with NFL draft upside, and Sanders went as far as saying he could land in the first round.
On the podcast The CFB Scoop w/Dukes, Sanders laid it out plainly: “That kid right there is going to be a first-rounder either this year or next year,” Sanders said. “I want to keep him.”
That kind of statement carries real weight coming from Coach Prime. Colorado is not in the habit of tossing around first-round talk unless it believes the player can back it up, and Carter has the kind of versatility that makes the projection easy to understand. At 5-11 and 200 pounds, he gives the Buffaloes a defensive back who can move around, cover ground and help in multiple spots.
Carter arrives in Boulder with SEC experience and a résumé that already stands out. As a freshman at Tennessee in 2024, he picked up All-Freshman honors after finishing with 25 tackles, forcing three fumbles and leading the conference with a 16.5-yard punt return average. The Volunteers used him everywhere they could - in the slot, at nickel, at deep safety and in the return game - and that kind of all-purpose usage is exactly what makes him so intriguing for Colorado.
He also brings more than 660 career snaps with him, so this is not a player starting from scratch. Carter has already dealt with the speed and physicality that come with SEC football, and that experience matters for a Colorado defense looking for athletes who can handle different assignments.
The path to Boulder, though, came with some baggage. Colorado landed Carter after he left Tennessee late last year because of team-rule issues. The Buffaloes are betting that the reset works in their favor, because when Carter is locked in, the talent is obvious.
That’s where the challenge comes in for Sanders and his staff. The upside is clear, but so is the need to keep things pointed in the right direction. Colorado’s program is built on competition and accountability, and that will matter with a player whose best football could be ahead of him if everything clicks.
Nickel backs coach Kevin Mathis was quick to back up the buzz around Carter’s ability.
“He’s probably going to be one of the most talented guys I’ve ever coached, besides Travis [Hunter],” Mathis said.
That’s not the kind of comparison a staff makes lightly, and it tells you how highly Colorado is already thinking of Carter’s potential. The plan appears to be to use him at cornerback, where his coverage skills can shine and where he can help the Buffaloes right away.
Colorado needs that kind of player. The defense wasn’t disruptive enough last season, and a defender who can work in coverage, in the slot and in the return game can change the feel of a unit fast. Sanders clearly believes Carter has that kind of juice, and the early signs around the program suggest the staff thinks he can become a major piece quickly.
If Carter delivers, Colorado gets more than just another transfer. It gets a starting-caliber defender with game-breaking traits and a real chance to become one of the top names in the NFL Draft conversation.
In Other News...
Colorado Fall Camp Opens With A Coaching Change Fans Cant Ignore
Colorados fall camp opened with a staffing wrinkle that did not go unnoticed, as the Buffaloes official coaching directory no longer lists receivers coach Jason Phillips and he was not part of the teams fall camp introductions. For a program trying to settle into its next phase, any change on the staff page tends to draw a little extra scrutiny, especially when it involves a position group as central to the offense as the receivers.
Rashad Davis, who had previously worked as an inside receivers coach, appeared to be handling Phillipss role as camp got underway. The Buffaloes have not officially confirmed what happened or offered an explanation, leaving the move to speak for itself while fans and observers try to read between the lines about how the offensive staff is being shaped. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Enters Fall Camp With Colorado Facing Early Pressure
Fall camp opened with the Buffaloes shifting preseason work to Colorado Springs, where 104 players reported as Deion Sanders and his staff started putting the roster through its first real tests of the season. Sanders has made the coaching staff and roster philosophy a central part of how this program is being built, and the start of camp is always the first checkpoint for whether that approach is translating from talk to practice.
Colorado also enters camp with an unexpected personnel note, as the program announced Jason Phillips is no longer with the team so he can attend to a family matter. It adds another layer to a week that is already about evaluation and urgency, because every early absence changes how the depth chart is shaped and how much flexibility the staff has as it sorts out the pieces before the real pressure starts. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados New OC Just Raised The Stakes For This Offense
Colorados offseason reset brought a clear message on offense, with the program turning to Brennan Marion to run the attack after its 2025 season. Marion arrives from Sacramento State, where he served as head coach, and he is expected to install his up-tempo go-go system while Chris Marve takes over as defensive coordinator. For a Buffaloes team trying to sharpen its identity, the staff changes point to a more aggressive look on both sides of the ball.
The timing makes the quarterback situation especially worth watching, because redshirt freshman Julian Lewis is projected to open the year as the starter against Georgia Tech. That is a lot to ask of a young passer in a new system, but it also gives Colorado a chance to find out quickly how fast Marions offense can take hold. The real intrigue is whether the scheme and the QB can mesh quickly enough to make the Buffaloes dangerous right away. [Read more 🡒]