Deion Sanders and the No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes concluded the regular season with disappointment, falling short of both the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football Playoff.
However, the program received uplifting news on Monday when their versatile standout, Travis Hunter, was announced as a Heisman Trophy finalist. The positive momentum for the Buffaloes didn’t end there.
According to Pete Nakos of On3, Alabama Crimson Tide defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis has arranged an official visit to Colorado. Nakos shared on X, “Alabama defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis is visiting Colorado this week, his agents tell On3 Sports.” Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 325 pounds, Oatis boasts a career stat line of 57 tackles, 5 pass deflections, and 1.5 sacks. The news was initially reported by ESPN.
Jehiem Oatis, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior from Columbia, Mississippi, announced his intention to enter the transfer portal back in October. He chose to redshirt for the 2024 season and did not participate in Alabama’s final seven games of the year.
The former Columbia High School standout was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class, ranked as the 92nd-best overall prospect and the 13th-best defensive lineman by 247 Sports. As a transfer, Oatis has significantly improved his standing, now listed as the seventh-best overall prospect and the top defensive lineman in the portal.
During his 2.5 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Oatis accumulated 57 tackles, five passes defended, and 1.5 sacks. He played a key role with the Crimson Tide in his first two years but saw his playing time decrease in 2024.
If Coach Prime and Colorado are able to persuade Oatis to join the Buffaloes in 2025, he could provide a strong boost to their defensive line.
