Colorado’s transfer losses don’t read like a mass exodus, but the Buffaloes did watch a handful of real difference-makers walk out the door. The outgoing class is headlined by a pair of five- and four-star names, and while the roster wasn’t gutted across the board, these are the departures that will be felt most in 2026.
The biggest one is Seaton, the highest-rated outgoing transfer from Colorado and the No. 2 player in the 2026 transfer portal by 247Sports. He carries a five-star transfer grade, matching the star label he had coming out of high school.
Seaton was the anchor of Colorado’s offensive line and was expected to be that again next season. Instead, he’s headed to Baton Rouge to play for Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers, with his eyes on continuing the push toward becoming an NFL prospect.
On defense, the Buffs are losing their most productive piece from 2025 in Byrad. He didn’t get the same portal buzz as some of the bigger names, landing as a three-star transfer, but the production was impossible to ignore: 79 total tackles, 58 solo tackles and two forced fumbles, all team highs.
Byrad moved on to Texas A&M, where he’ll join a College Football Playoff contender and get a chance to perform on an SEC stage. Colorado did help soften that blow by rebuilding the safety room in the portal, but replacing his production won’t be simple.
Miller is another major loss, and this one hits the passing game. Colorado’s leading receiver from last season posted 808 yards and eight touchdowns on 45 catches in 2025, then transferred to Arizona State as a four-star portal addition.
The Buffs will see him again on Nov. 7 in Tempe, Arizona. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, Miller gave Colorado a versatile target who worked well on deep throws, and he also would have fit nicely in Brennan Marion’s ‘Go-Go’ scheme from the slot.
Colorado responded by attacking the receiver market in the portal, but Miller’s departure still leaves a clear gap.
McKinney’s Colorado run came with peaks and valleys, but the highs were real. There were games when he was a liability, and others when he changed the game for the Buffaloes.
His best season in Boulder came in 2024, when he finished with 61 tackles, 43 of them unassisted, along with eight pass breakups, a forced fumble and three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. 247Sports listed him as a four-star transfer, and he’s now with Notre Dame.
Colorado has already brought in Cree Thomas, a former Notre Dame cornerback who has stood out since arriving, to help cover the loss.
Hayden may not have put up eye-popping numbers at Colorado, but the way the roster was shaping up made his exit sting. Under Brennan Marion, the running back position should be used far more heavily than it was under Pat Shurmur, who was Colorado’s offensive coordinator during Hayden’s time in Boulder.
That meant Hayden had a real chance to compete for the top job, and if he had won it, his production likely would have climbed well beyond anything he has done so far. Instead, he transferred to Memphis as a three-star portal player, and the opportunity he might have had in Colorado is now just a what-if for Buffs fans.
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