Why Deion Sanders, Colorado will soon have additional reinforcements

During one of the recent Colorado videos from the Well Off Media YouTube account, wide receiver Xavier Weaver made a comment about the Buffaloes’ roster as he watched two injured players who were making their return to practice.

“They don’t even know, half our team ain’t even here yet. Half our team ain’t even touch the field yet,” Weaver said in the video before then referencing Deion Sanders’ Louis Vuitton luggage statement from December. “… Half the Louis ain’t even touch the field yet.”

Half may be a little bit of a stretch, but it is true that Sanders and Colorado are set to add some additional talent and reinforcements in the near future.

Two examples of that are the two players that Weaver was watching that day at practice, Florida State defensive back transfer Travis Jay and FSU linebacker transfer Brendan Gant. Both missed the Buffaloes’ first two games due to injuries but both returned to practice this week. While they aren’t quite ready for game action, the current belief is that they should be available at some point in the coming weeks, sources tell On3. 

Gant, a Class of 2019 top-120 recruit, tallied 113 tackles in four seasons at Florida State. Jay, a 2019 top-170 overall recruit, made three career starts at FSU, posted three career interceptions and also contributed as a kick and punt returner. 

In addition to those two, there’s also another prominent Colorado transfer who could be ready to contribute for the Buffaloes even sooner, former Houston running back Alton McCaskill.

There’s continued optimism that McCaskill, who has been working back from a 2022 knee injury at Houston, will be ready to make his Colorado debut at some point in these next couple games, sources tell On3.

The Buffaloes play Colorado State this week and then face No. 13 Oregon next week.

McCaskill, a Class of 2021 four-star recruit, tied for 11th nationally with 18 touchdowns at Houston in 2021 and was selected as the 2021 AAC Rookie of the Year. Having him will add to a Colorado running back group that already includes other such as four-star freshman Dylan Edwards, who scored four touchdowns during the Buffaloes’ Week 1 win over TCU.

Colorado should also soon have another player factoring into its wide receiver rotation — 6-foot-4, 225-pound Northwestern State transfer Javon Antonio. It sounds like Antonio was nicked up some during fall camp and he then missed the Buffaloes’ win over Nebraska last week, but it seems like he could maybe be back as soon this weekend.

The expectation at Colorado is that he’ll be a definite factor within the Buffaloes’ passing game this season. Antonio, who had several other Power Five offers to go along with Colorado, had 64 catches for 684 yards and six touchdowns at Northwestern State last year.

Even without all those players, the Buffaloes are 2-0 and ranked No. 18 in the AP poll heading into their matchup against Colorado State.