On Wednesday afternoon, former Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Jaydan Hardy signed with the Colorado Buffaloes, giving head coach Deion Sanders another Power Four transfer addition.
Hardy entered the transfer portal on Jan. 7 after two seasons with Oklahoma. He appeared in 26 total games during his career with the Sooners, contributing on both defense and special teams. Over two seasons, Hardy saw action on 221 defensive snaps and 408 special teams plays. Statistically, he finished with 17 total tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one pass breakup. Pro Football Focus credited Hardy with allowing 97 receiving yards on 10 targets in coverage, while not surrendering a touchdown.
His role expanded significantly in 2025. After playing just 58 defensive snaps as a true freshman in 2024, Hardy was on the field for 163 defensive snaps this past season, including 88 at free safety. He recorded 11 tackles, seven solo stops, one interception, and a forced fumble during the season. One of his most impactful performances came in Oklahoma's 23-21 regular-season win over Alabama, where he forced a fumble and notched a career-high four tackles. He appeared on 10 or more defensive snaps in each of the Sooners' final eight regular-season games.
Hardy joined Oklahoma in 2024 as a four-star recruit out of Lewisville High School in Texas. Recruiting services ranked him among the top safeties nationally, with Rivals listing him No. 19 at the position and inside the top 300 overall prospects. He played high school football in Texas' highest classification and was named a 2023 Under Armour All-American.
His departure made Hardy one of five defensive backs from Oklahoma's 2025 roster to enter the transfer portal, part of a larger group of 24 Sooners who transferred following the season. Oklahoma finished the season 10–3, returning to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2019 after closing the regular season with four consecutive wins over Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. Defensive turnover created opportunities for new additions, as the Sooners welcomed former Oregon cornerback Dakoda Fields and will lean on returning stalwarts of the secondary, including Peyton Bowen, Michael Boganowski, Eli Bowen, and Courtland Guillory.
Hardy joins Colorado, which went 3-9 in 2025 and lost five straight games to close the season. Under Sanders, the Buffaloes are 16-21 overall. Colorado has been highly active in the portal, adding 26 transfers in a class ranked No. 10 nationally by On3. Hardy is one of seven defensive backs added, including multiple safeties, as the Buffaloes prioritized rebuilding the secondary after personnel losses. With two years of eligibility remaining, Hardy becomes part of a revamped Colorado defensive backfield heading into the 2026 season.
