Colorado Stars Omarion Miller, Tawfiq Byard Headed to Transfer Portal After Breakout Seasons
It’s been a tough year on the scoreboard for Colorado, but even in a 3-9 season, a few bright spots managed to shine through. Wide receiver Omarion Miller and safety Tawfiq Byard were two of the most impactful players on the roster - and now, they’re both preparing to take their talents elsewhere.
Both Miller and Byard plan to enter the NCAA transfer portal when it officially opens on January 2. For Colorado, that’s a major hit on both sides of the ball - these weren’t just contributors; they were arguably the team’s best offensive and defensive players this season.
Let’s start with Miller. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound wideout was a consistent playmaker all year long and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors from the conference’s coaches.
He led the Buffaloes in receptions (45), receiving yards (808), and receiving touchdowns (eight). That stat line isn’t just impressive - it’s rare in Boulder.
Only 10 other players in Colorado history have ever put up a season with at least 40 catches, 800 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Miller finished fifth in the Big 12 in receiving yards and was tied for fifth in touchdown catches - not bad for a junior who had to wait his turn behind older players in his first two seasons. Across his three years at CU, Miller racked up 66 catches for 1,258 yards and 10 touchdowns. That puts him 21st all-time in receiving yards in program history, tied for 20th in career touchdown receptions, and 47th in total catches - and he’s done all that with just one full season as a featured target.
Miller made national noise in a couple of spotlight games, too. He exploded onto the scene in 2023 with a seven-catch, 196-yard performance against USC - the eighth-highest single-game receiving total in school history.
Then in 2024, he followed it up with an eight-catch, 145-yard effort on October 12. When he was given opportunities, he made them count.
In a heartfelt message posted to social media, Miller thanked the program and reflected on his growth at Colorado, saying, “Wearing the black and gold and being a part of this program has been an experience I’ll always be grateful for.” He added that the decision to transfer wasn’t easy, but one he believes is best for his future.
Miller was a four-star recruit out of North Caddo High School in Vivian, Louisiana - part of Deion Sanders’ first recruiting class at Colorado in 2023. Of the four- and five-star players in that class, Miller was the last one still on the roster this season. Cornerback Cormani McClain, running back Dylan Edwards, and wideout Adam Hopkins IV all transferred after just one year.
On the defensive side, Byard brought toughness and leadership to a unit that needed both. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound safety led the Buffs with 84 total tackles, added 7.5 tackles for loss (tied for third on the team), and chipped in an interception, two forced fumbles, and four pass breakups. He was recognized with All-Big 12 honorable mention honors.
What makes Byard’s season even more impressive is how it started - or didn’t. He didn’t crack the starting lineup until Week 4, but once he did, he never looked back. Byard played through a broken hand for much of the second half of the season, wearing a cast but still flying around the field and making plays.
His defining moment came in Colorado’s 24-17 upset of No. 22 Iowa State on October 11. On an 11-play ISU drive early in the fourth quarter, Byard broke his hand, got it wrapped on the sideline, and returned in time to snag a crucial interception near the goal line - a momentum-shifting play that helped seal the win.
Byard transferred to Colorado from South Florida, where he played two seasons and made 10 starts. In 2024 with the Bulls, he logged 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and an interception. Football runs in the family - his older brother is Kevin Byard, a Pro Bowl safety for the Chicago Bears.
With Miller and Byard joining the list, Colorado has now seen eight scholarship players announce their intentions to transfer ahead of the portal’s official opening. Defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis, cornerbacks Noah King and Teon Parks, linebacker Mantrez Walker, and safeties TJ Branch and Terrance Love are also on the move. Walk-on kicker Alexander Stoyanovich, who had a shot at competing for the starting job next year, is transferring as well after two seasons in Boulder.
For Colorado, this wave of departures brings another offseason of transition. For Miller and Byard, it’s a chance to take the next step in their football journeys after standout seasons that turned heads across the Big 12.