Deion Sanders has a type when it comes to his players, and not everybody fits the description. After a rough 3-9 season, Coach Prime knew he needed a change. He is tired of safe players who just try not to get beaten and instead want ball hawks who go out there and take what is theirs. That’s exactly why he went out and brought Justin Eaglin out of JMU in the portal.

On February 19th, Colorado Buffaloes insider hopped on the DNVR Buffs podcast and discussed the man who could fix Deion Sanders’ biggest problem. The picks:

“Coach Prime is looking for cornerbacks who play to make a play. Yep, that’s Justin Eaglin. He plays to make a play. You throw it at him, you are taking a risk that he might take that thing the other way, or get his hand on it for a PBU. So the size he checks that box, the experience, the production, he checks those boxes,” Buffs Insider said.

The fatal flaw for Colorado last year was that they simply could not take the ball away and force turnovers to save their own lives. The entire Buffaloes DB only managed 6 picks all season while allowing 30 on average. 14th in the Big 12. For context: When you look at Justin Eaglin’s stats, he already accounted for 5 picks last season with James Madison, including one pick-six. Basically, he’s a total turnover machine, the opposing QB’s worst enemy.

Eaglin really put himself on the map during last years’ in the playoff. Even though JMU was the underdog, he held his own against top-tier talent and recorded picks against the top 5-ranked Oregon Ducks offense. The former Duke’s DB finished the season with 8 pass breakups and 35 total tackles.

What makes this transfer really interesting is the personal connection. When Eaglin entered the portal, Deion Sanders was one of the first to personally call him and talk about specific plays he had seen on his film. Eaglin said that hearing the “best cornerback to ever play the game” break down his game made it an easy choice to move to Boulder. He’s hoping Coach Prime can take him from being a good player to a great one. Now that he’s officially on the roster, many analysts and Buffs insiders are already calling him the Day 1 starter.

The man’s already a fan-favorite in Boulder. When he announced his offer from the Buffs, he used a photo of Shedeur Sanders doing his famous watch flex. He only has one year of eligibility left, so he’s going to be giving it everything he’s got to make a big impact in his final college season.

Eaglin is the centerpiece of a completely revamped secondary, but he’s far from the only new face in the defensive backs room.

Colorado Buffs’ DB room next season

The cornerback spot is getting a total facelift this year. Since stars like D.J. McKinney moved on, Eaglin’s expected to step right into a starting role alongside guys like RJ Johnson and Makari Vickers. Coach Prime also added Cree Thomas from Notre Dame and Emory Floyd from App State, so the competition in this year’s spring practice is going to be intense.

It’s clear the goal was to get older, more experienced players who already know how to shut down top-tier receivers. Over at safety, things are looking just as bright with some serious star power. The big name to watch is Boo Carter, a high-rated transfer from Tennessee who is a total playmaker. He’ll be joining returner Tawfiq Byard and another impact transfer, Randon Fontenette, from Vanderbilt.

Overall, the secondary looks like it could be the strongest part of the Buffaloes’ defense in 2026. If this new crew gels during spring ball, Colorado’s defense could finally become a “no-fly zone” for the 2026 season.