Jehiem Oatis, top defender in transfer portal, picks Colorado - ESPN

Former Alabama defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis, the No. 1 defensive player in ESPN's transfer rankings, has committed to Colorado, he told ESPN on Monday.

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound junior was one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal and the No. 5 overall player in ESPN's transfer rankings. He has two more seasons of eligibility.

Oatis, the No. 38 overall recruit in the 2022 ESPN 300, started 13 games over his first two seasons at Alabama and appeared in four games in 2024.

Oatis is the latest big-name transfer to join coach Deion Sanders at Colorado. The Buffaloes' portal-heavy approach to rebuilding their roster paid off in 2024 with a 9-3 record and a No. 23 finish in the final College Football Playoff rankings.

Oatis told ESPN that he's headed to Colorado to «make the team great again.»

He made the pick because of Sanders, defensive line coach Damione Lewis and analyst Warren Sapp. There's a feeling that the combination of those three coaches can help Oatis maximize his vast potential.

«I feel like it's beneficial for me, and I feel like I can give a lot of help to this season,» he said. «And I will have a coach I can depend on and a position coach leading me the right way.»

Offseason surgeries forced Oatis to miss spring practice and limited him at the start of preseason camp. After playing a rotational role under new Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, Oatis made the decision around midseason to sit out the rest of the campaign and redshirt.

During his time in Tuscaloosa, Oatis recorded 52 tackles, five pass breakups and 1.5 sacks.

Colorado had one of the most improved defenses in the country under first-year defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, vaulting from No. 124 in FBS in scoring defense