Some of the biggest personalities and best leaders on the 2024 Colorado football team played on the back end of the defense.
It won’t be easy to replace the production or leadership of Travis Hunter, Shilo Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig – who are all now in the NFL – but the 2025 Buffaloes have some intriguing pieces in place to make the secondary a strength once again.
Leading up to preseason camp, which opens Monday, BuffZone.com will preview each position group for the CU football team and in this installment, we look at the defensive backs.
While the big three of a year ago are gone, three other key members of last year’s secondary are back, while some fresh faces will be called upon to step up.
Junior cornerback DJ McKinney is prepared to take the next step in his development.
Last year, he became a starter for the first time and was in the lineup for all 13 games. Playing opposite of Hunter, McKinney was exceptional in recording 62 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups.
Named preseason first-team All-Big 12, McKinney could take the leap to elite status as one of the top corners in the conference, if not the country.
“He’s seen (an elite corner, Hunter) and he wants to emulate and imitate that guy,” head coach Deion Sanders said.
Senior Preston Hodge has elite potential, too. The former Liberty transfer started the first nine games of the 2024 season at nickel back before a season-ending injury. He had 33 tackles, two interceptions and seven pass breakups and made some key plays last year.
In the spring, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said, “I think the way that we play, Preston kind of stirs the drink.”
The stage is set for Carter Stoutmire to take on a starring role this year, too. A former cornerback now playing safety, he played 526 snaps last year while making seven starts for injured teammates (including the last four games at nickel in place of Hodge) and posting 42 tackles and seven pass breakups.
With Shilo Sanders and Silmon-Craig now gone, Stoutmire could be the Buffs’ leader at safety.
“Really, what Cam was for this defense last year, I’m just trying to be what he was last year,” Stoutmire said in the spring. “Just going out there, making plays, really, wherever they put me. I’m just ready to play ball.”
Beyond that trio, the Buffs will rely on some newcomers or returning players in bigger roles.
RJ Johnson played just 33 snaps last year, but the sophomore is projected to step into a starting role at cornerback. He had a great spring for the Buffs, and Livingston said, “I love the look in RJ’s eyes.”
The other projected starter is safety Tawfiq Byard, a transfer from South Florida. The younger brother of NFL safety Kevin Byard, Tawfiq was a 10-game starter at USF last year. He had 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception last year, and he made a good impression on the Buffs this spring.
“Tawfiq is probably one of the smartest football players I’ve ever been around,” Stoutmire said.
At corner, the Buffs added transfers Tyrecus Davis, a 12-game starter at Wyoming last year; Teon Parks, who tied for the lead in the Missouri Valley Conference with 12 passes defended; and Makari Vickers, a former four-star recruit who spent two years at Oklahoma.
Senior Ben Finneseth, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship in the spring, is a special teams standout who will battle for a role at safety this year.
This summer, the Buffs also added transfers John Slaughter (Tennessee) and Terrance Love (Auburn) for depth at safety. Both were mainly special teams players the past two years, but have potential to play key roles.
Also at safety, true freshman TJ Branch Jr. had a good spring and could find his way on the field. Another true freshman, Noah King, spent the spring at Kansas State before coming to CU. Branch and King were both rated as four-star recruits.
While the secondary will have a new look, and CU will rely on some unproven players at this level, the talent is there to once again have a solid defensive backfield.
Position: Defensive backs
Returners with 2024 starts: Preston Hodge, 6-foot, 200 pounds, Sr. (9 starts); DJ McKinney, 6-2, 180, Jr. (13 starts); Carter Stoutmire, 5-11, 210, Jr. (7 starts)
Other returners: Ben Finneseth, 6-2, 205, Sr.; RJ Johnson, 6-2, 185, So.; Ivan Yates, 6-0, 170, Sr.; Braden Keith, 5-10, 180, Jr. (walk-on); Kole Mathis, 5-8, 130, R-Fr. (walk-on); Nathaniel Watson, 5-10, 180, Jr. (walk-on).
Transfers: Tawfiq Byard, 6-1, 195, So. (South Florida); Tyrecus Davis, 5-10, 188, Sr. (Wyoming); Terrance Love, 6-2, 220, Jr. (Auburn); Teon Parks, 6-1, 180, Jr. (Illinois State); John Slaughter, 6-2, 195, Jr. (Tennessee); Makari Vickers, 6-1, 190, So. (Oklahoma).
True freshmen: TJ Branch Jr., 6-3, 170, Fr.; Kyle Carpenter, 6-2, 200, Fr.; Noah King, 6-2, 200, Fr. (transferred from Kansas State after spring)
Key losses: Colton Hood (transferred to Tennessee); Travis Hunter (graduated); Shilo Sanders (graduated); Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig (graduated).
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