The cornerback unit was one of Colorado's most talented in 2023, and seemingly one of the easiest positions for the Buffs to lure in recruits. After all, who wouldn’t want to be coached by one of the greatest of all-time at your position?

The pedigree that Deion Sanders carries from his playing days at the cornerback position helped the Buffs accumulate plenty of big names in the secondary in his first season.

But things didn’t go as planned on all fronts at that spot. Former five-star recruit Cormani McClain, who Sanders helped flip from Miami during the initial recruiting process, struggled to get on the field as a true freshman. Sanders cited his practice and preparation habits as one big reason why McClain found himself buried on the depth chart. When McClain did find some playing time, he went through his fair share of growing pains as he adjusted to the speed and physicality of the college game. And then in May, he transferred to Florida.

More to the point, a lot of the corner room from 2023 is gone.

Kyndrich Breedlove and Omarion Cooper have also both transferred out, landing at Purdue and Florida State, respectively. Carter Stoutmire, who showed some promise as a true freshman in 2023, made the switch to safety while nursing an injury this spring.

Despite all of that movement, though, there’s a strong argument to be made that CU’s corner room is much stronger now than it was a year ago. Of course, that starts with Travis Hunter, the freakish playmaker who is the best of the returning bunch. The Buffs also added experienced transfers Preston Hodge (Liberty) and DJ McKinney (Oklahoma State), along with further replenished depth from the transfer portal.

Let's take a closer look at the unit ...