Colorado’s Deion Sanders Buffaloes bolster secondary with Notre Dame transfer

The Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday secured the commitment of former Notre Dame cornerback Cree Thomas, who will join head coach Deion Sanders’ program in Boulder, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

The 6-foot-1, 187- to 189-pound defensive back played sparingly as a true freshman for the Fighting Irish in 2025, appearing in three games. He made his collegiate debut against Navy on November 9, saw time versus Pittsburgh on November 15, and recorded his first career solo tackle and a pass breakup in a 70-7 victory over Syracuse on November 22. By preserving a redshirt, Thomas retains four full seasons of eligibility with Colorado.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Thomas attended Brophy College Preparatory, where he excelled as a defensive back. Over his junior and senior seasons, he amassed 76 tackles, seven interceptions, and 12 pass deflections. He earned First-Team All-State and All-Region honors in 2023 and 2024, following Second-Team All-Region recognition in 2022. Highly regarded as a recruit, Thomas was ranked as a four-star cornerback by Rivals and a three-star by On3, 247Sports, 247Sports Composite, and ESPN. He was listed among the top defensive backs in Arizona, ranking second in the state by Rivals and fifth by On3, and was the fifth-best overall player in the 2025 class for Arizona by multiple recruiting services.

At Notre Dame, Thomas found himself behind a crowded cornerback room, including blue-chip enrollees Mark Zackery IV and Dallas Golden, which limited his opportunities for playing time. Recognizing the chance to compete immediately, Thomas opted to transfer to the Buffaloes, joining a Buffaloes roster in need of cornerback reinforcements.

Colorado lost two of its top four cornerbacks from 2025 to graduation or the transfer portal, while two reserves — Tyrecus Davis and Noah King — are also exploring portal opportunities. Last season, the Buffaloes were ranked No. 69 nationally in passing efficiency defense with a rating of 133.50 and allowed 203.2 passing yards per game, ranking 42nd in that category.

Thomas becomes the 17th transfer for Colorado under Sanders and the third defensive back addition, alongside James Madison cornerback Justin Eaglin and New Mexico State safety Naeten Mitchell. He is the first transfer from a Power Four program to commit to the Buffaloes this offseason and is set to compete for a starting role, bringing a combination of size, athleticism, and proven prep-level production to rejuvenate the Buffaloes secondary.

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