With conference championship weekend behind us, it’s fair to say that preparations for the 2024 college football season are already getting underway for many teams around the country — especially those not playing in a bowl game. The transfer portal is officially open, and Deion Sanders has a lot of work to do to retool his roster that was much improved in 2023 but still needs a lot of talent to get to where he wants it to be.
Obviously, not all the available names are in the portal yet, so it’s hard to put together a list of specific targets, but here are the top five needs for Sanders and the Buffs in this year’s portal cycle.
Offensive line needs to be addressed
Hide your shock, I know, but the clear top target for Colorado has to be reinforcements on the offensive line. Now, help up front is arguably the hardest thing to find in the portal, as evidenced by Colorado’s results from a similar approach last season, but the Buffs need to try and get some top-end talent in the building to improve the front five.
Now, Tyler Brown will be eligible in 2024 at guard after sitting out this season because his transfer waiver was denied, so he should immediately improve the group up front. However, The Buffs could look for help at all four other spots. Center Van Wells, arguably the best Colorado lineman in 2023, is entering the transfer portal, as is starting tackle Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan.
Colorado does get Savion Washington, Jack Bailey, and Kareem Harden back next year, all of whom played a big role on the Buffs’ offensive line in 2023, but the results don’t lie. The Colorado line gave up 56 sacks in 2023, second-worst in the FBS, and failed to create enough movement in the run game, where the Buffs finished dead last. If Colorado wants to compete in the Big 12 next year, those results simply won’t cut it. Deion Sanders will certainly be looking for new bodies on the offensive line this winter.
