Colorado starting DB Tawfiq Byard plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal

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After a breakout season this fall at Colorado, starting safety Tawfiq Byard plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, he tells On3’s Steve Wiltfong.

The redshirt sophomore transferred in to Boulder last offseason after two seasons at South Florida, where he didn’t play as a true freshman. During his second year with the Bulls though, he was one of the AAC’s top defensive backs, posting 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and an interception.

He opted to hit the portal and chose Deion Sanders and Co. over a long list of options. Byard took his play to another level in his lone year with the Buffs, recording 85 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles as one of the lone bright spots in their secondary.

Colorado’s defense finished 111th nationally in points allowed per game, going up 30.5 per contest. Their pass defense was one of the best in the Big 12 though, only allowed 203 YPG, which ranked No. 41 nationally in the regular season.

Byard will enter the portal next month as one of the most coveted defensive backs on the market with two years left to play.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder wasn’t a highly sought-after recruiting out of high school, ranking as the nation’s No. 1447 overall prospect and No. 147 safety. But the former DeMatha Catholic (Md.) standout has made a name for himself in three years at the college level.

Is a portal exodus coming for the Buffaloes?

After an extremely disappointing 2025 season, it’s expected that the roster will see major shakeup again after CU took a total of 75 transfers over the past two years. Earlier on Wednesday, starting wide receiver Omarion Miller announced his intentions to hit the portal.

He was Colorado’s leading receiver this year, catching 45 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. True freshman safety TJ Branch, a four-star by On3 coming out of high school, also plans to leave the program.

As does interior defensive linemen Jeheim Oatis, who was one of Colorado’s biggest portal additions last year. The former Alabama standout posted only nine tackles in 11 games in Boulder before choosing to depart.

In total, six Buffs have plans to hit the portal with that number expected to grow in the coming days and weeks.

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