Deion Sanders, Colorado Lose RB Alton McCaskill to Arizona State in Transfer Portal

Former Colorado and Houston running back Alton McCaskill has committed to Arizona State, he told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

McCaskill expects to have three years of college eligibility remaining after sitting out the majority of the past two seasons, per Thamel.

McCaskill confirmed the news Thursday with a social media post.

He announced his plan to enter the transfer portal April 17 after requesting to redshirt following four games with Colorado last season, Thamel and On3's Kaiden Smith reported.

McCaskill also visited Arizona State while in the transfer portal last offseason before committing to Colorado, Thamel noted.

The Sun Devils have had McCaskill on their radar for years. The running back also said he received an offer from Arizona State prior to committing to Houston for his freshman season.?mjr

Arizona State will now hope to see McCaskill resume the level of play he showed during his AAC Rookie of the Year campaign for Houston in 2021, when he led all true freshman with 16 rushing touchdowns.

McCaskill is one of 41 outgoing transfers departing Colorado after Deion Sanders' first season as head coach in 2023, per 247Sports.

He joined the Buffaloes last summer after sitting out his entire sophomore season in Houston with an ACL injury.

At the time, Colorado was looking to bounce back from a 1-11 campaign in 2022 that led to near-complete roster turnover.

The team started out the 2023 season with four wins in six games but finished with six straight losses to mark a 4-8 record in part because of their offensive line's struggles.

McCaskill was sidelined with his knee injury for three games at the start of the season. He returned to the field to rush for 59 yards on 14 carries, while adding two catches for 19 yards, through four games before requesting to redshirt the rest of the campaign.

Per Smith, Sanders said in November that McCaskill's decision to sit out the rest of the season was because "it's been a while since he has had his full strength, and full potential, and ability to move and cut in explosion."

"So he wants to train and work his butt off and get into shape and come back in the spring and earn that number one spot," Sanders said at the time. "That's what he echoed to me and I love it."

McCaskill will face steep competition if he wants to earn the RB1 position at Arizona State. The Sun Devils' backfield is crowded with candidates including Cam Skattebo and DeCarlos Brooks, as well as USC transfer Raleek Brown and incoming four-star freshman Jason Brown.

After losing McCaskill, as well as running back Anthony Hankerson and Dylan Edwards, to the transfer portal, Sanders and the Buffaloes will be putting together an entirely new backfield for the 2024 season. So far Colorado has added Ohio State transfer Dallan Hayden and Miami transfer Rashad Amos in the portal.