The Colorado Buffaloes’ offseason hasn’t gotten off to a great start, especially since the program has lost so much talent. It’s not just talent; the young core coach Deion Sanders has been building around for years to come has entered the transfer portal.
Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis is sticking with the program, standing out as one of the few true cornerstone players who have not entered the transfer portal. Meanwhile, impact names like wide receiver Omarion Miller and safety Tawfiq Byard have elected to move on.
The loss of four-star offensive lineman Carde Smith stands out as one of the most impactful, with the lineman entering the transfer portal last week.
Advertisement
Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Legendary football and baseball player and father of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Protecting Lewis must be a priority heading into next season, when he’s expected to be the full-time starter under Sanders and the Buffaloes. That task becomes more difficult when the program loses a top-250 recruit from last year’s class.
Given how the program is structured, player departures aren’t surprising. The current state of college football and NIL has made it difficult for programs like the Buffaloes to consistently retain talent, with more than half the roster entering the transfer portal.
Advertisement
Smith is among several departures, but his combination of size and physicality sets him apart and will attract plenty of attention.
Advertisement
Smith’s size and physicality give him immediate value in the transfer portal, especially at a position that’s increasingly difficult to fill. That combination makes several programs logical fits as potential landing spots as his recruitment begins to take shape.
MORE: Deion Sanders Reportedly Hires Familiar Name As Colorado Running Backs Coach
MORE: Why Shedeur Sanders Will Bounce Back From Late-Season Struggles
MORE: Insider Reveals Biggest Reason Behind Colorado’s Transfer Portal Mass Exodus
Advertisement
SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE
Why Carde Smith and Alabama Are a Transfer Portal Match Made in Heaven
Advertisement
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer watches on during warm ups before Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement
There’s likely to be plenty of interest in Smith, especially after just finishing his redshirt freshman season. Coming from Mobile, Alabama, it’s easy to see why the idea of returning home to play for the Crimson Tide is so appealing.
With quarterback Ty Simpson expected to enter the NFL Draft this spring, the Keelon Russell era is set to begin next season. That transition brings an even bigger need for protection, especially with multiple linemen also leaving for the Draft.
That’s where Smith could make a difference. A four-star recruit, he can play both inside and outside on the offensive line, though he profiles more naturally as a guard.
Landing in Tuscaloosa would give him a chance to contribute immediately.
Advertisement
With his size, versatility, and experience, Smith could provide the stability Alabama’s offensive line needs while helping protect the next generation of elite talent. For a program losing key pieces up front, he might be exactly the type of player they’re looking for.
Carde Smith Could Find Immediate Opportunity at Ohio State
Advertisement
Ohio State Football coach Ryan Day describes how Ohio State football is bigger than any one coach as he answers questions about his latest recruiting class during a news conference Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility in Columbus. | Doral Chenoweth/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Advertisement
Ryan Day’s Buckeyes have leaned on the transfer portal for years, but developing a consistent offensive line has been a challenge, with many top linemen heading to the NFL. That need is only set to grow this offseason.
Smith is a natural fit for Ohio State and would be a strong cultural fit in Columbus.
Does that mean he’s guaranteed to land there? Of course not. But for a team that needs to protect Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, adding size and talent up front makes a lot of sense for Day and his staff.
If Smith decided to leave Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes, it’s likely going to be for a program like Ohio State or Alabama. He’s not looking for a lateral move to a mid-tier program with a slight NIL upgrade.
Advertisement
At Ohio State, Smith could step in immediately and help shore up a line losing key pieces. With his size, talent, and versatility, few programs offer the combination of opportunity, exposure, and competitive environment that the Buckeyes can provide.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was hospitalized Tuesday after undergoing what her office described as a minor procedure to remove fluid that was pressing on her lung.
The 81-year-old Republican governor will be monitored at Baptist Medical Center South in Montgomery “in the coming days” out of an abundance of caution, Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola said in a statement.
The fluid was discovered after Ivey went to her doctor because she was feeling discomfort in her left side and had recently experienced some shortness of breath.
“While it was not emergent, Governor Ivey wanted to get the procedure done as soon as possible so she can quickly get back to 100% to wrap up the 2026 Regular Session,” Maiola said. The legislative session is in its final days.
Advertisement
Her office did not specify how long the governor will be in the hospital or recovering.
“We are in touch with Governor Ivey, and she says she is determined to make a very speedy and full recovery.” Maiola said.
Ivey announced in 2019 that she was undergoing radiation for lung cancer. The governor described it as a small localized spot. Her office said in 2020 that scans indicated the treatment was successful and she was free of disease.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama is having to replace a lot of its production up front on the defensive line from a year ago with LT Overton and Tim Keenan III off to the NFL and Keon Keeley, James Smith, Qua Russaw and Kelby Collins off to other schools out of the transfer portal.
Because of that, Kalen DeBoer and his staff were able to bring in some help from the portal themselves. Junior running back Daniel Hill has to go up against those guys every day in spring practice, and two of the transfers have been the biggest surprises to him along the defensive front.
“Thompkins from USC,” Hill said. “He’s a really good player. Des from South Carolina. Those two are really great players.”
Advertisement
Devan Thompkins spent three seasons at USC before transferring to Alabama this spring. Last year with the Trojans, he had 31 total tackles, including three sacks and a forced fumble. Desmond Umeozulu played in 36 games over three seasons at South Carolina, recording 30 total tackles with 2.5 for loss. Alabama also added 6-5, 319-pound defensive lineman Terrance Green from Oregon.
Advertisement
Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer was asked about the new transfers up front after the Crimson Tide’s first scrimmage.
“A lot of potential to set the front, let them play ball. Not have to utilize pressures and blitzes all the time to cause chaos in the backfield. The ability to stop the run with the four and, obviously, the linebackers and your support is there to help. So we have certainly a bigger group of guys than what we’ve had in the past. And last year, probably our biggest struggle against the run game was on the edges.
“Our system lends to making sure balls don’t get out there very often in the run game. But even in the last game, you saw people just running right down the middle of our defense. And we wanna be able to mix things up, but we also wanna be able to just play base with the guys and our personnel. I think with those guys you mentioned, they’re gonna allow us to do that. They still got a ways to go, but I like the direction we’re headed.”
While Alabama did lose some key pieces from last year’s front seven, the Crimson Tide does return sacks leader Yhonzae Pierre as well as defensive lineman London Simmons, who played in all 15 games as a true freshman last season. Jeremiah Beaman and Edric Hill are also back for the Tide.
Advertisement
“We’ve got some guys that are dogs,” Alabama safety Keon Sabb said of the Crimson Tide’s defensive front. “At Bama, you want guys that really compete, and I feel like through the transfer portal and the younger guys, I think we found that.”
Advertisement
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads and Blue Sky for the latest news.
Oct 18, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Daniel Hill (4) runs with the ball in the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
It is safe to say Daniel Hill still has his strength and power intact, despite him losing weight this spring.
Hill looks slimmer this spring after dropping weight ahead of his third season with the Crimson Tide. This drop in weight has him feeling faster while still apparently being strong.
The Mississippi native was asked Monday to confirm a report he squatted 805 pounds, and he did.
Advertisement
“I did do that,” Hill said. “And the process, I mean, I’ve always been able to squat a lot. I don’t know, it just happened. I really don’t know how to explain it. Just they threw it on the bar, and I did it.”
Kalen DeBoer is hopeful this weight loss, mixed with Hill’s strength and athleticism, will lead to more productivity out of the back in the upcoming season.
“Daniel’s (Hill) been consistent,” DeBoer said after Alabama’s first scrimmage. “I think he’s taken advantage of just kind of having an offseason to lean up. A year ago, really from the previous ’24 season, was still dinged up, had to have surgery. We knew it during spring ball, had to have it after. I think that really went into him not having the offseason he’d probably like and the season that he knows he can improve on and be better than.”
Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
