Deion Sanders bolsters secondary with Notre Dame transfer

Colorado Buffaloes on Wednesday secured the obligation former Notre Dame running back Kree Thomas, who will join head coach Deion Sanders’ program in Boulder, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

The 6-foot, 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 Nov. 9, saw time against Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 and recorded his first career solo tackle and sack in a 70-7 win over Syracuse on Nov. 22. Redshirting, Thomas kept four full seasons in Colorado.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona, Thomas attended Brophy College Preparatory School, where he excelled as a defensive back. During his junior and senior seasons, he collected 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 honors in 2022. Highly regarded as a recruit, Thomas is ranked as a four-star guard by Rivals and a three-star guard by Onsites, Onsite 427 and Onsite, No. 2 by ESPN. He was listed as the top defensive back in Arizona, ranked second in the nation by Rivals and fifth by On3, and was ranked fifth overall in the class of 2025 for Arizona by numerous recruiting services.

At Notre Dame, Thomas found himself behind a crowded cornerback room, including signees Mark Zackery IV and Dallas Golden, which limited his playing opportunities. Recognizing a chance to compete right away, Thomas decided to transfer to the Buffaloes, joining the Buffaloes’ roster in need of cornerback reinforcements.

Colorado lost two of its top four cornerbacks from 2025 to graduation or the portal to transfer, while two reserves — Tyrecus Davis and Noah King — are also exploring portal options. Last season, the Buffaloes ranked 69th nationally in defensive efficiency with a 133.50 rating and allowed 203.2 passing yards per game, ranking 42nd in that category.

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