Many college football players dream of playing at the pinnacle of the sport. Some get to do it for years on end. Some never get to do it at all. For others, like Colorado safety Rodrick Ward, you have to work your way through the ranks to get to that mountaintop.

Ward, a graduate transfer from San Jacinto, CA, started his college career at Mt. San Jacinto College, a community college in his hometown. After one season, he transferred to Southern Utah to play FCS-level football, and over his three seasons there he became a star.

After contributing during his sophomore and junior seasons, Ward started all of Southern Utah’s games in 2022 and made a huge impact. In his final season with the Thunderbirds, Ward was a monster in the secondary, breaking up 11 passes and snagging five interceptions on his way to First Team All-WAC honors.

Ward entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer following his standout senior season, hoping for a bigger opportunity. That’s when Deion Sanders came calling.

“Last year I was watching Jackson State in the championship game, and me and my dad were sitting there. I’m like ‘man, I wish I could play for Coach Prime,’” said Ward. “It was crazy just hitting the portal and having that conversation with him within the first 48 hours, it was a dream come true. So I knew as soon as I got that call I was coming to Colorado, no question about it.”

The adjustment to Power Five football wasn’t an easy one for Ward. He came into a program where not only was the talent better, but an influx of highly sought after recruits and transfers populated the secondary.