Another tough blow is coming for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes as the transfer portal prepares to open, with one of the program’s most promising young defenders having plans to move on.
With less than 30 hours remaining before the NCAA transfer portal officially opens, Colorado learned that true freshman defender London Merritt will be entering his name, a development first reported by On3 insider Hayes Fawcett. The timing alone made the loss sting, and the substance made it heavier.
“Colorado true freshman EDGE London Merritt is entering the Transfer Portal, sources tell On3 Sports. He played in all 12 games this season, totaling 25 tackles, 8 TFL, and 1 Sack. PFF All-Freshman Team & Big 12 honorable mention honors,” Fawcett posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Merritt’s departure is quite huge because of how quickly he became part of Colorado’s defensive rotation. He didn’t redshirt or wait for opportunities to open up. Instead, the Atlanta native played in all 12 games as a freshman, carving out a role immediately at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds.
His stat line is also a clear indicator of why his exit hurts Colorado, with 25 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and one sack, only partially capturing the disruption he consistently created off the edge.
Beyond the numbers, Merritt was widely viewed as a cornerstone piece for Colorado’s defensive future. A former four-star prospect from IMG Academy, he arguably emerged as the most impressive freshman from Colorado’s 2025 signing class.
His recognition as a PFF All-Freshman selection and a Big 12 honorable mention underscored just how rare his impact was for a first-year defender adjusting to Power Four football.
Colorado’s defense already struggled in the 2025-26 regular season, and losing another young contributor only compounds the challenge. Merritt now joins players such as Tawfiq Byard, Omarion Miller, and Alex McPherson as departures considered major losses for the Buffaloes.
In the current era of college football, roster turnover has become unavoidable, especially for teams trying to rebuild on one side of the ball. For Sanders, the focus now shifts to damage control and reinforcement.
As the transfer portal opens Jan. 2, Colorado will need to be aggressive, particularly on defense, if it hopes to offset the loss of a freshman who looked poised to be part of the program’s long-term foundation.
