Deion Sanders, Colorado Land Safety from Major SEC Program

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Deion Sanders, Colorado Land Safety from Major SEC Program

Deion Sanders has built his Colorado Buffaloes teams by significantly utilizing the college football transfer portal. This year, Sanders has 34 players committed, 34 last year, 43 the year before that and 52 in his first season.

Sanders secured another transfer portal player on Wednesday by signing former Oklahoma Sooners safety Jaydan Hardy. During his two seasons at Oklahoma, Hardy recorded a total of 17 tackles and two interceptions. While he primarily excelled on special teams, he also served as a reserve safety during games.

He aims to assist Sanders in strengthening the defense and secondary after a disappointing 3-9 season last year. He’s expected to compete for a starting role on Sanders’ defense next season.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jaydan Hardy (1) lands on Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Lotzeir Brooks (17) after a reception.© BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hardy’s addition reflects Colorado’s continued commitment to using the transfer portal as a roster-building engine, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. After finishing 3–9 last season, the Buffaloes are clearly targeting experience and versatility to stabilize a unit that struggled with consistency in the secondary.

While Hardy did not start regularly at Oklahoma, his experience in a competitive defensive environment and his production on special teams give him a realistic path to earning snaps quickly in Boulder. Colorado’s secondary remains one of the most open position groups on the roster, and Hardy will enter spring practice with a legitimate opportunity to compete for a starting role.

With Sanders once again reshaping the roster at a rapid pace, Colorado’s defense could look significantly different by the time the 2026 season kicks off. How quickly transfers like Hardy can translate opportunity into production will play a major role in determining whether the Buffaloes can take a step forward in Year 4 of the Sanders era.

Related: Kirk Herbstreit Names Best Defense in College Football

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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