Colorado just landed a big man with big potential. Former Baylor defensive lineman Samu Taumanupepe is heading to Boulder, flipping his commitment from Florida to join Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes. The 6-foot-3, 376-pound transfer from Humble, Texas had just committed to the Gators earlier in the week, but made a quick pivot before the transfer portal window slammed shut.
Taumanupepe brings SEC experience and serious size to Colorado’s defensive front. He started his college career at Texas A&M, where he logged six tackles during the 2024 season-four of them solo-before transferring to Baylor.
He redshirted after appearing in just three games for the Aggies, but not before getting a taste of SEC football, including a matchup against Florida. That game saw the Aggies come out on top, 33-20, giving Taumanupepe a first-hand look at the Gators from the other sideline.
His time at Baylor in 2025 was limited, with just two assisted tackles in games against Arizona and Arizona State, but the raw tools are there. At his size, he’s a space-eater in the middle of the line-someone who can clog up gaps and demand double teams. And while the stat sheet might not pop, his presence alone can shift the dynamics of a defensive front.
Florida made a strong push to land him. Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman prioritized Taumanupepe during the recruitment process, even before his official visit.
According to Taumanupepe, Chatman told him directly: *“We need you, we need to get you on the visit.” * That kind of pitch resonated, especially with connections already in Gainesville.
He had former Baylor teammate DK Kalu-now a Florida transfer commit-already in the fold, and knew current redshirt sophomore Brendan Bett from their time together with the Bears. Those relationships gave him insight into the program and into Chatman’s coaching style.
“All I’ve heard was good things about him,” Taumanupepe said. “How chill he is, and how I would love to be coached by him.”
But in the end, Colorado won out.
For Coach Prime and the Buffaloes, this is another key addition in the trenches-an area they’ve been working hard to bolster. The Buffs struggled with consistency up front last season, and adding a player with SEC and Power Five experience is a step toward fixing that. Taumanupepe may not have a long list of highlights just yet, but he’s got the kind of frame and upside that defensive coordinators love to mold.
His decision came just before the close of the 2026 transfer portal window, which shut down Friday after a two-week period. Under the NCAA’s updated rules, this was the only open portal window for the year-unless a player participated in a postseason game after January 12. Those players will have an additional five-day window following their final game to enter the portal.
This year’s changes also eliminated the 15-day spring window and tightened the rules for graduate transfers, who now have to follow the same 15-day entry period as everyone else. All of which made Taumanupepe’s timing crucial-he made his move just in time.
Now, he’ll suit up in black and gold, aiming to make his presence felt in the Pac-12 (or whatever version of it remains). For Colorado, it’s another sign that the program is serious about building from the inside out. And for Taumanupepe, it’s a fresh start in a system that just might let him shine.