Report: Deion Sanders, Colorado Lose DB Adam Hopkins to CFB Transfer Portal

Colorado defensive back Adam Hopkins is entering the transfer portal, according to Pete Nakos of On3.

Listed as a wide receiver coming out of high school, Hopkins was a 4-star recruit and the No. 266 overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2023. He made three appearances and had four tackles as a freshman.

The Georgia native joins the large list of Buffaloes players who entered the portal after head coach Deion Sanders' first year in charge. Speaking to reporters last week, Sanders downplayed the extent to which the would-be departures hurt the team in the short term.

Hopkins' exit points to how there's probably some truth to Coach Prime's comments. Still, his general mindset may elide the true state of things in Boulder.

Hopkins had a minimal role on the field in 2023 and didn't look to be one of the top defensive backs in the rotation this spring. However, that was before cornerback Cormani McClain and safeties Jaden Milliner-Jones, Myles Slusher and Vito Tisdale all entered the portal.

Looking at players through Sanders' prism can miss the forest for the trees.

Not everybody needs to be a blue-chip 5-star recruit or proven starter. Having solid players to provide depth is a valuable asset, one that was missing for Colorado when it dropped eight of its final nine games a season ago. The Buffs started strong on the backs of their top stars but steadily wore down as the campaign unfolded.

Turning second- and third-stringers into starters over a period of multiple years is one way to solve that problem, yet Sanders appears to still put an emphasis on sure things.

Losing Hopkins probably won't hurt Colorado much in a vacuum. The collective turnover, on the other hand, simply doesn't seem sustainable for Coach Prime and his staff.