The roster shake-up in Boulder continues, and the list of Buffaloes heading to the transfer portal just got a little longer.
On Friday, two more true freshmen-defensive end Alexander McPherson and defensive tackle Christian Hudson-signaled their intent to enter the portal when it officially opens on January 2. They’re joined by veteran offensive lineman Tyler Brown and senior defensive lineman Gavriel Lightfoot, bringing the total number of scholarship players planning to transfer to 13.
Let’s start with McPherson, a long and athletic 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge rusher who made an early impact this season. He played in 10 games, logging 211 snaps and finishing with 16 tackles, half a sack, a blocked punt, and five quarterback hurries-tied for fourth-most on the team.
A product of IMG Academy in Florida and a three-star recruit in the 2025 class, McPherson came to Colorado with a strong prep résumé: 52 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and nine sacks as a senior. His departure is another blow to a defensive front that’s already losing experience and depth.
Hudson, meanwhile, is a 6-1, 300-pound interior lineman who saw limited action this season-just 18 snaps across four games-preserving his redshirt. Though he didn’t record any stats, he came to Boulder with promise.
A three-star recruit from Mainland High School in Florida, Hudson posted 55 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and three sacks as a senior. He originally committed to UCF before flipping to Colorado.
His transfer adds to the growing list of young players moving on before they’ve had a chance to fully develop in the program.
With McPherson and Hudson moving on, eight of the 15 high school recruits from Colorado’s 2025 signing class have now left the program-two of them even before the season began. That’s a staggering attrition rate for a single class, especially one that was supposed to be part of the foundation for the future.
Then there’s Tyler Brown, a 6-foot-3, 325-pound interior lineman who’s had a winding journey through college football. A 12-game starter in 2024, Brown was limited to just five snaps this season due to injury.
Despite being a seventh-year senior, he still has one year of eligibility left. Brown’s career path has taken him from Louisiana-Lafayette (2019-2021) to Jackson State in 2022, and then to Colorado in 2023.
He’s dealt with the full spectrum of college football’s curveballs-COVID, injuries, and even losing his 2023 season due to an outdated NCAA transfer rule. Now, he’s looking for one final chapter elsewhere.
Lightfoot, a 6-3, 310-pound defensive lineman who transferred in from Fresno State, never got the chance to suit up for the Buffs. He was sidelined by a preseason injury and redshirted the year. He’ll enter the portal with one year of eligibility remaining, hoping to get back on the field in 2026.
The portal doesn’t officially open until January 2, but the exodus is already well underway in Boulder. Among the 13 scholarship players who’ve announced their intentions to transfer are several key contributors, including wide receiver Omarion Miller, safety Tawfiq Byard, and defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain-all of whom saw regular playing time this season.
The list also includes offensive lineman Carde Smith, safeties TJ Branch and Terrance Love, defensive linemen Jehiem Oatis and Brandon Davis-Swain, cornerbacks Noah King, Teon Parks, and Kyle Carpenter, and linebacker Mantrez Walker. Love and Carpenter had already left the team during the season.
Even the walk-ons are heading out. Receiver Gavin Marsh and kicker Alexander Stoyanovich are also planning to enter the portal.
It’s clear that Colorado’s roster is undergoing a major transformation-again. Whether this is part of a larger strategy or simply the nature of college football in the transfer portal era, the Buffs are bracing for another offseason of turnover. And with January 2 still ahead, the movement may just be getting started.