Colorado’s transfer portal haul finally got a little national respect, even if the Buffaloes still weren’t fully embraced.
ESPN’s updated top 100 transfer portal rankings gave Colorado wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. a spot at No. 26 after former Texas Tech quarterback Brenen Sorsby was removed from the list following a gambling investigation that ultimately led his departure from the Red Raiders. That left Moore just outside the top 25 as the lone Buffalo represented, while several other notable additions were left out entirely.
Moore arrives in Boulder after three seasons in the SEC, where he became one of Arch Manning’s favorite targets at Texas. In 2025, he caught 38 passes for 532 yards and four touchdowns.
But his value to Colorado goes beyond the numbers. Inside a young receiver room, Moore has already taken on a leadership role, and Deion Sanders has gone so far as to call him “the real leader.”
It’s the kind of presence Colorado is banking on as it tries to turn a loaded transfer class into something more than offseason buzz. Moore has the résumé, and he brings the kind of steady veteran voice that can matter just as much as production when a roster is still finding its footing.
The snub list was just as eye-catching. Danny Scudero, who led the entire NCAA with 1,291 receiving yards last season, did not make the Top 100. Neither did former Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter or First-Team All-MAC linebacker Gideon Lampron, even though both came to Boulder with proven production.
Sanders made it clear at Big 12 Media Days that Colorado isn’t spending much time worrying about outside opinions. “We don't care what people say,” Sanders said. “Just because our guys were snubbed off a poll that's probably not going to be consistent with the end of the season, we don't give a darn.”
Two former Buffs did land on the list, though. Former Colorado offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, now at LSU, checked in at No. 3 overall, and former wide receiver Omarion Miller, who transferred to Arizona State, came in at No. 13.
For Colorado fans, seeing Seaton and Miller near the top is a reminder of the talent that has moved through Boulder. But the focus now shifts to the newcomers, and Moore is right at the center of that conversation.
His move also reconnects him with Colorado offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. Marion, who previously served as Texas’ passing game coordinator, helped recruit Moore to Austin. Now they’re back together in Boulder, where Moore’s ability to work the middle of the field, create yards after the catch, and stretch defenses fits cleanly into Marion’s Go-Go offense.
With redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis heading into his second season in the program with noticeably more confidence, the pieces are starting to line up for Colorado’s offense. The Buffaloes have finally picked up a bit of national recognition for their work in the portal, but Sanders’ group is clearly aiming for something bigger than a one-time ranking bump.
In Other News...
Nuggets Just Got Their Final Answer On The Jokic Backup Plan
Jonas Valanciunas next stop is now clear after a brief stretch of uncertainty following his release from Denver. The veteran center had been weighing his options after the Nuggets waived him, and the answer sends him away from the NBA for now and into a Zalgiris Kaunas roster that already features several players with league experience.
For Denver, it closes the book on a backup-center plan that never really got off the ground. Valanciunas was barely used in the first-round playoff series against Minnesota, and the Nuggets had reasons to move on financially as well, but the bigger question was always where he would land once he sorted through his choices. Now the franchise knows it will have to look elsewhere for frontcourt depth going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Nuggets May Be Running Out Of Time To Keep Peyton Watson
Peyton Watsons rise has put the Nuggets in a familiar but uncomfortable spot: a young player they value has become expensive enough to complicate the rest of the roster. Denver is trying to keep its books workable while navigating the hard edges of the salary cap, and that has pushed restricted free agency into a far more delicate conversation than simply matching an offer sheet.
Around the league, that has opened the door to sign-and-trade possibilities, with the Clippers emerging as a team to watch in the background. Nothing is finalized, but the fact that Denver is even weighing that route says plenty about how tight the squeeze has become and how little room there may be to simply bring Watson back on the terms he wants. [Read more 🡒]
Peyton Watsons Future Just Got Pulled Into The Kawhi Leonard Drama
Peyton Watsons future in Denver has suddenly been tied to a much bigger transaction, one that has nothing to do with the Nuggets at first glance. The Kawhi Leonard trade between Toronto and the Clippers is still on hold, and while that deal sorts itself out, it has also frozen a separate layer of business involving Watson, a restricted free agent the Nuggets value highly after a breakout season that was cut short by hamstring issues.
Los Angeles has interest in Watson, but Denver has set a steep asking price and has been prepared to match outside interest. The complication is that any sign-and-trade path for the Clippers appears to depend on the Toronto draft-pick side of the Leonard deal getting cleared first, which means Watsons market may not move until the larger trade does. For the Nuggets, it leaves a useful young piece in limbo while the league waits on one of the summers most consequential negotiations. [Read more 🡒]