On Monday night, former Alabama defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis committed to the Colorado Buffaloes. And he’s not just heading to Boulder for a check and to look at the mountains. Oatis wrote on Instagram that defensive players who want to win a National Championship need to be looking to join the Colorado Buffaloes.
Oatis is the No. 1 defensive player in ESPN’s Transfer Portal rankings and the No. 5 overall player. Oatis started 13 games during his first two years at Alabama and is a former Top 40 recruit.
This time a year ago, that might seem like a ridiculous suggestion, but it turns out the Buffaloes were just one win away from getting a shot at a national title this season.
Had the Buffs been able to come back and upset Kansas a few weeks ago, they’d have gotten into the Big 12 Championship, and from there, anything could’ve happened with a player like Travis Hunter at their disposal.
As good as the Buffs’ offense has been in 2024, and it has been spectacular, the Colorado defense has been the most tangible reason for the program’s improvement from a season ago.
The Buffs lead the Big 12 with 37 sacks (3.08 per game) and 87 tackles for loss (7.25 per game) in the year. They also rank second with 24 turnovers forced and led the conference in red zone defense (73.33%).
If they can build on that performance this season – the addition of Oatis will certainly help – there’s no telling what the ceiling for this team could be in the coming seasons.
Colorado (9-3) will face BYU (10-2) in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Saturday, December 28, 2024, with coverage provided by ESPN.
