Deion Sanders’ Colorado program is bleeding talent, and the damage control efforts are in full swing. The Buffaloes have watched over 34 players enter the transfer portal since the window opened on January 2. The most significant blow came when safety Tawfiq Byard announced he was transferring to Texas A&M. However, Deion Sanders immediately pivoted to damage control mode by scheduling a visit with one of the best available defensive backs in the portal.​

The news broke on Friday when sources confirmed that Vanderbilt transfer safety Randon Fontenette is currently in Boulder ahead of a visit with Colorado. This would be a massive get for the Buffaloes. They desperately need to stop the hemorrhaging on defense. Fontenette was a key piece in the Commodores’ turnaround from a 2-10 disaster in 2023 to a 10-3 season in 2025. 

He entered the portal on January 7 after two productive seasons in Nashville. Fontenette is a proven commodity at the SEC level. He recorded 52 tackles and forced a fumble during the 2025 season while playing Vanderbilt’s “star” hybrid linebacker/safety position. Those numbers were down from his breakout 2024 campaign. In 2024, he posted 73 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a pick-six in Vanderbilt’s stunning upset of No. 1 Alabama. 

His production dipped in 2025, not because of a decline in play, but because offenses actively schemed away from him. “I haven’t been getting a lot of action coming my way,” Fontenette explained late in the season. “I talked to my coaches about it ’cause I kind of got frustrated with my stats and stuff like that. As a player, you want stats, you want the sacks, you want the tackles, you want the picks.” 

What makes Fontenette such an ideal fit for Colorado is his versatility and physicality, exactly what the Buffaloes lacked in 2025. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, he can play multiple roles in the secondary, from deep safety to box defender to covering slot receivers. His 6.5 tackles for loss and six pass breakups from 2025 show he can make plays all over the field.

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For Deion Sanders, landing Fontenette is important. The Buffaloes went 3-9 in 2025. It was their most disappointing performance since Sanders arrived in 2023. The mass exodus has raised serious questions about whether Coach Prime can establish long-term stability in Boulder. If the visit goes well, Sanders might just salvage something positive from this brutal transfer portal cycle. One more reason for getting Fotenette is that he has to replace yet another outgoing safety.

One step forward, another step back

The cruel irony of Sanders’ damage control efforts is that, even as Randon Fontenette was visiting Boulder to help fix the secondary, another safety was walking out the door. Carter Stoutmire, a three-year starter who posted 38 tackles and five pass breakups in just eight games this season, announced Saturday that he’s entering the transfer portal. 

Stoutmire is the 32nd player (out of 35) to jump ship since the portal opened on January 2. Over his three years in Boulder, Stoutmire racked up 92 tackles, 12 pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. He only allowed five receptions in coverage last season, showing legitimate NFL-level instincts.

But like so many others, he’s had enough of the chaos and the losing. Colorado’s 3-9 season was bad enough. But watching the program rank 112th in points allowed per game (30.5) and 123rd in total yards allowed (425.7) apparently convinced him it was time to find greener pastures.​

The revolving door is spinning so fast that Sanders can barely keep up. He’s already landed three defensive backs from notable schools: Notre Dame cornerback Cree Thomas, James Madison cornerback Justin Eaglin, and New Mexico State cornerback Naeten Mitchell. But losing Stoutmire on the same day you’re hosting Fontenette is the perfect encapsulation of Colorado’s transfer portal nightmare.