Richard Young is heading west. After three seasons at Alabama, the former five-star running back has entered the transfer portal and plans to suit up for Colorado, giving Coach Deion Sanders another intriguing piece to work with in Boulder. With two years of eligibility remaining, Young brings both pedigree and potential to a Buffaloes backfield that’s looking to take a step forward.
At 5-foot-11 and 212 pounds, Young has the physical tools you want in a modern back - compact build, strong lower body, and enough burst to make defenders pay. But during his time with the Crimson Tide, he never quite broke through in a crowded and highly competitive running back room.
Across 15 games over three seasons, Young totaled 247 yards of offense and five touchdowns on 61 touches. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, they don’t tell the whole story either.
Young saw 131 offensive snaps during his Alabama career, and his Pro Football Focus grades show a player who held steady across three seasons: 64.4 in 2023, 66.4 in 2024, and 64.5 in 2025. Those grades suggest a back who did his job when called upon, even if the opportunities were limited.
Of course, the buzz around Young goes back to his high school days at Lehigh Acres (Fla.) Senior, where he was a dominant force.
He racked up 4,824 yards and 43 touchdowns over 36 varsity games - the kind of production that made him the No. 4 running back in the 2023 recruiting class, and a top-15 prospect in the state of Florida. He was ranked No. 55 nationally overall, a testament to just how highly regarded he was coming out of high school.
Now, he gets a fresh start in Boulder. For Colorado, this is a low-risk, high-upside move.
Young arrives with SEC experience, a strong recruiting pedigree, and the hunger to prove he can be more than just a rotational piece. For Young, it’s a chance to finally show what he can do with a bigger role - and in an offense that could use a back with his skill set.
If he can tap into the form that made him one of the most coveted backs in the country just a few years ago, Colorado might have just landed a difference-maker.