With the spring college football transfer portal set to open on April 16, Colorado landed one final commitment from the existing group. Head coach Deion Sanders managed to persuade offensive guard Xavier Hill to spend his sixth and final season of eligibility in Boulder, per On3 Sports.

Hill commits to the Buffaloes after two years at Memphis. He spent his first three seasons at LSU but appeared in just six total games for the Tigers. As an original class of 2020 recruit, Hill joins Colorado as one of the most experienced student-athletes in college football.

Although his career never truly got started at LSU, Hill thrived with Memphis. He broke through in 2023, starting all 13 games en route to a second-team All-AAC recognition. Ahead of the 2024 season, he was named to the Outland Trophy preseason watchlist and a preseason first-team All-AAC offensive guard.

Hill joins Colorado as one of the top offensive linemen in the college football transfer portal with 26 consecutive starts. He figures to immediately slot into the starting lineup opposite of incumbent starter Tyler Brown.

Hill is the latest edition of Colorado's stellar incoming transfer class that is highlighted by former Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter. The group also includes Tavian Coleman, Kylan Salter, Zarian McGill and Martavius French.

Xavier Hill joins new chapter of Colorado football

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Although Colorado managed to retain Deion Sanders in the offseason, it will still begin a new chapter in 2025. Once the fall season begins, the Buffaloes will have to transition to play without 2025 NFL Draft prospects Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders.

In addition to Hunter and Sanders, Colorado also lost B.J. Green, Shilo Sanders, Jimmy Horn, Lajohntay Wester, Chidozie Nwankwo, Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig and Will Sheppard to the NFL Draft.

Regardless of the high-end talent Colorado will still have in 2025, the team will still endure a rough transition period without Shedeur Sanders and Hunter. However, the two players' star power also came with increased media attention that often served as a double-edged sword. A Deion Sanders-led team will always command additional focus, but the lack of Hunter and Shedeur Sanders will be noticeable in all aspects.