You got a source for that top 12 ranking? They were 35th in talent composite last year. 12th would put them higher than Michigan, Florida State and Washington were last year. As demonstrated time and time again you can’t build a team in the portal you can only improve positions that are already supplemented by depth.
Sports books have them at 5.5 wins and +4000 to make the Big 12 title game. That’s shows me Vegas thinks they’ll be mid.
It takes 4-5 years to build a football program. There’s no quick fixes in this game.
22th on 247 in 2024
2nd overall in transfer on On3
Previous year, 1st.
A lot of guys they picked up were all-conference performers this year. Last year, most of their signings didn't even start. They were rotational which makes sense, they didn't have any NIL.
2023 -
2023 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings
2024 -
2024 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings
PFF Grades - CU transfers rated highly.
NFL Scouting Grades - CU landed 10 players who currently have draftable grades in the portal. This doesn't include the guys they already have like Shedeur, Shilo, Travis, Cokes, etc.
They spend over 8 mil on this roster and it's stacked
At EDGE, Hayes and Okonola from PITT, Wade from Kentucky, Green from Arizona State. Interior, Chidozie from Houston, Rayan Buell from Ohio, Carter from Arkansas, Wiggins from LSU.
At LB, you got Hill-Green from Charlotte who came from Michigan, Wester from FL Atlantic, Cheney from FAMU.
At secondary, you got Hodge from Liberty, McKinney from OK State, Hood from Auburn who was killing it in the spring but left because his little bro was coming to CU.
At WR, they added Wester, Sheppard, and Russell.
On the OL, Benson, Mayers,Tyler Johnson, Yakari Walker, and the depth they got is a bunch of 4 stars with upside. This ain't close to last year's team.
People forget that last year's OL had two starters from the previous team that was backups for the most part of the previous year for CU. Lost it's two best guards, one to retirement and the other to the portal who went to FSU. Lost the prized transfer from JSU to eligibility. Ended up signing a mid G5 guard who was completely overwhelmed by the Pac 12. Our RT from Kent was the best one of the bunch but even he was just average.
Last year's team had depth issues. There was no diversity in the defensive trenches, The OL was worse than the 1 win team in the previous year. All rooms lacked depth last year but the RB room and they struggled due to the OL.
This squad is massively improved and massively talented.
I have a major issue with people because Louisville spend a lot in the portal last year, won 10 games, no one said shyt.
Michigan rebuild their entire OL in the portal last year, no one said shyt.
But because CU had to basically kick out a lot of D2 and D3 players off the roster and get G5 players to replace them, don't mean this portal shyt don't work. It worked for Louisville, Michigan, TCU, etc.
We got a top 15 collective now. The talent is flowing like a well.
If you just look at PFF grades, you will see how much we massively improved the roster.
This is just transfers only. With the exception of Russell, all produced.