The NCAA transfer portal doesn’t officially open until January 2, but the movement has already begun - and Colorado is feeling the ripple effects.
Freshman linebacker Mantrez Walker has announced his decision to leave the Buffaloes and enter the portal, becoming the latest early departure from CU’s 2025 recruiting class. Though players can’t formally enter the portal until the two-week window opens (Jan. 2-16), Walker made his intentions clear through a statement released via his representatives at A&P Sports Agency.
“I would like to thank the University of Colorado’s staff for taking a chance on me and giving me an opportunity to play at a high level,” Walker wrote on social media. “I would also like to thank the Buff community for their continued supports since I was being recruiting in high school.
With that being said, I have decided to enter the transfer portal with 4 years of eligibility left. I am excited to take the next step in my football journey.”
Walker, a product of powerhouse Buford High School in Georgia, saw limited action this season - just two defensive snaps and 19 on special teams - but his redshirt status means he’ll retain all four years of eligibility moving forward. Despite the small sample size on the field, his presence in the locker room and practice field didn’t go unnoticed.
“He’s gonna be a guy next year,” senior linebacker Jeremiah Brown said of Walker just two weeks ago. “Very smart, physical linebacker… Just the instincts.
He’s very mature for his age. You don’t see him on no lists - he don’t miss meetings, he’s always early for everything.
I think he’s gonna be on pace for a good season next year.”
That kind of praise tells you what the coaching staff and teammates saw in Walker - a high-ceiling player with the mental makeup and work ethic to develop into a key contributor. His departure stings, not just because of what he could’ve become in black and gold, but because it’s part of a larger trend.
Walker was one of 15 high school signees in Colorado’s 2025 class, and he’s now the fourth to leave the program. Offensive linemen Jay Gardenhire and Adrian Wilson exited in the spring, while cornerback Kyle Carpenter left during the season.
As for Walker’s recruitment, he was a three-star prospect with a strong résumé - three-time first-team all-region selection at Buford - and chose Colorado over offers from Stanford, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, and Penn State. That kind of offer sheet speaks to the level of talent he brings to the table, and it’s likely he won’t be on the market long once the portal officially opens.
For Colorado, this is another reminder of how fluid rosters have become in the transfer portal era. Even promising young players who seem poised for future roles aren’t guaranteed to stick around. And for Walker, it’s a fresh start - with four full years of eligibility and a chance to find a program where he can grow into the player many in Boulder believed he’d become.