Colorado DL Jehiem Oatis to Enter Transfer Portal After One Season with Buffs
After just one year in Boulder, defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis is headed back to the transfer portal. The former Alabama standout is looking for a new home after a brief, injury-plagued stint with Colorado that never quite lived up to its preseason promise.
Oatis’ plans were confirmed Monday through his agency, YM APAA Sports, though the official transfer portal window doesn’t open until January 2.
When Oatis arrived at Colorado last winter, expectations were high. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound lineman was one of the more notable defensive additions for the Buffaloes-a big body with SEC experience and a reputation for clogging up running lanes.
But the production didn’t follow. Oatis started three games and logged 268 snaps, finishing the year with just nine tackles and a single pass breakup.
For a player of his pedigree, the numbers left a lot to be desired.
He wasn’t alone in that regard. Of the three defensive linemen Colorado brought in via the transfer portal last offseason, Oatis was the only one who managed to stay on the field.
Gavriel Lightfoot, a transfer from Fresno State, missed the entire season, while Tavian Coleman (Texas State) was sidelined for the final seven games. That trio was expected to help stabilize a defensive front that had been pushed around in 2023, but injuries and inconsistency kept the group from ever finding its rhythm.
Oatis, who played three seasons at Alabama before transferring to CU, still has one year of eligibility left. His time with the Crimson Tide included 35 tackles and three sacks, and while he showed flashes of potential in Tuscaloosa, his role diminished over time. In 2024, he appeared in just four games for Colorado, averaging 16 snaps per contest before deciding to redshirt and step away from the team in October.
Now, he’s looking for a fresh start.
His departure adds to a growing list of defensive exits for Colorado. Of the 10 defensive linemen on the roster this past season, at least six won’t be back-five are graduating, and Oatis is moving on.
There’s still some young talent in the pipeline, though. Lightfoot and Tawfiq Thomas both redshirted and could return, while redshirt freshman Brandon Davis-Swain and true freshman Christian Hudson are also expected to be back.
Oatis becomes the fifth Buffalo to announce his intention to enter the portal, joining cornerbacks Noah King and Teon Parks, linebacker Mantrez Walker, and safety Terrance Love-all of whom left the team during the season.
For Colorado, this is another chapter in what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason. The Buffs are trying to retool a roster that showed flashes of promise but struggled with depth and durability across the board. And for Oatis, it’s a second chance to find a fit that allows him to tap back into the form that once made him a top-tier SEC recruit.