One of the most surprising transfer moves in the offseason came when Colorado finished narrowly Seydou Traore I decided to enter Transport portal on April 30, just a few months into the program. A four-star transfer and one of the biggest off-season spots for the Buffaloes, Traore went through spring training in Boulder before deciding to transfer a second time that same season.
Asked by 247Sports about his decision to leave Colorado, Traore said he wants to play a wide receiver role for the 2023 season.
One of the best tight ends in college football last year at Arkansas State, Traore caught 50 passes for 655 yards and 4 TDs on his way to first-team all-conference honors. The 6-foot-4, 223-pound London-born scored 89.6 pounds last season, which ranked fourth among tight ends and seventh among all FBS players. Traore is currently ranked as the #8 player available overall in 247Sports’ transfer rankings with a rating of 91.
Now, as Traore searches for a new school, he said he hopes to use what he learned during his first outing on the gate to find the right fit for his future.
“It is not easy to choose the right house, but do not be afraid of adversity,” Traore told 247Sports via Twitter direct messages.
Since Traore returned to the transfer gate on April 30, he has remained a popular name for schools needing help getting a pass. Traore has posted offers from Illinois, Oregon, Western Kentucky, Miami, Purdue, North Texas, Washington, and Arkansas.
As he contemplates his next school, Traore said his priorities are simple.
“I am looking for a school that can continue to develop myself and allow me to showcase my abilities,” said Traore.
As a second-time transfer and non-graduate, Traore is no longer eligible for the NCAA’s one-time transfer waiver which allows a player to play immediately at his new school. This means Traore will have to make a waiver if he hopes to play in 2023.
“Yes, I plan to apply for an exemption,” Traore said. “I want to compete! Sitting is not something I look forward to or would be happy about!”
Traore said he has not yet made official visits but that possible trips are “in the works”.
The NCAA introduced the Transfer Portal on October 15, 2018, providing athletes with a path to explore their options. Players do not need to seek permission from their coaching staff in order to transfer. They just need to request compliance by entering their name. Usually, it takes 24 to 48 hours for a player to show up on their request.
Schools are free to contact the player without restriction once his name appears in the portal.While a player entering his name in the transfer portal means that he intends to explore his options, it does not necessarily mean that he will leave. The player is free to withdraw his or her name at any time. However, schools are under no obligation to keep a player on scholarship once they enter the gate.
Sources said that 3,083 FBS players entered the transfer portal during the 2021-22 transfer cycle. This is up from 2,646 in 2022, 1,692 in 2019-20 and 1,717 in 2018-19.
Get the latest football and basketball transfer portal news from 247Sports.
This huge increase can be attributed to a new NCAA policy that allows student-athletes to transfer once in their career without having to sit out a year in residence. This means that all players entering the transfer portal for the first time will be immediately eligible at their new school as long as they meet the NCAA-mandated entry deadline.
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