Louisville's Tawfiq Thomas transfers to Colorado

Buffs add big man to put into the rotation this season

Dec 17, 2022; Boston, MA, USA; Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas (91) reaches out / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes snagged former Louisville defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas from the transfer portal on Friday.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder played in 22 games over the past two seasons for the Cardinals. He was an original three-star prospect from Gaither (FL) and helped his team finish 11-1 and made a deep run in the 2020 6A state playoffs. He was the 839th ranked prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.

Thomas adds depth to the Buffs defense, which is stacking up nicely for next season. He's the 37th transfer to make his way to Boulder since the end of last season. However, Colorado is currently negative six in the portal this year. According to Pro Football Focus, Thomas finished the 2023-24 season with 97 total snaps and a defensive grade of 42.5.

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Colorado will be a different environment for Thomas, but he gives the Buffs the 22nd player with Florida ties on the roster. He originally chose Louisville over Miami, Michigan and others. He's a bit underrated and had his best seasons at the height of the Covid pandemic.

Thomas has been in the Cardinals rotation as a reserve with 12 tackles. He'll have two years of eligibility on the books starting next year.