Eric Boggs
Dallan Hayden has made a big move. The former Ohio State running back is now part of Deion Sanders’ program, choosing to play for Colorado. Hayden made his decision official on Monday, a week after he said he would enter the transfer portal.
Hayden is joining a Buffaloes team that’s seen a lot of players coming and going, now for the second year in a row under Sanders. He’ll be playing alongside Shedeur Sanders, one of the country’s top returning quarterbacks. The Buffaloes are hoping for better results after a tough 4-8 season in 2023, where they lost most of their last games.
At Ohio State, Hayden wouldn’t have been higher than third on the running back list. But now, he’s expected to be one of the top two running backs for the Buffaloes, along with sophomore Dylan Edwards. Hayden still has three years left to play for Colorado after sitting out last season at Ohio State.
As for Ohio State, only two players, including Hayden, have entered the transfer portal since spring practice ended. The other player, Cedrick Hawkins, announced on Saturday that he’s committed to UCF.
Hawkins, originally from Florida, decided to play closer to home by choosing UCF. He entered the transfer portal just last Tuesday after spending one season with Ohio State. Four days later, he made his decision to join the Knights.
Hawkins didn’t get any playing time during his year at Ohio State, but he’s hoping for a fresh start at UCF. The Knights finished last season with a 6-7 record, their first in the Big 12 conference.
