BOULDER, Colo. (AP) 鈥� Boo Carter solely as a defensive back. Don’t be surprised, though, if he plays some wide receiver or maybe even lines up in the backfield.
Sound a little familiar?
The transfer from Tennessee may very well follow in the two-way footsteps of Travis Hunter, the 2024 for the Buffaloes who’s now with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Carter has the of the ball 鈥� and a coach who may just let him.
鈥淚f I wanted to put him on offense, I think he could shine there,鈥� said Deion Sanders, whose team opens the season Sept. 3 at Georgia Tech. 鈥淗e has to focus on dominating the defensive game and then we鈥檒l see about that.鈥�
Carter arrived in Boulder after a , where he played in 21 games and made the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team as a return specialist. But he opted to leave the state where he starred in high school for a fresh start out West.
And a chance to learn from a Hall of Fame defensive back in Sanders.
鈥淲hen scouts come out, he鈥檚 the one of the first young men they ask about,鈥� Sanders said. 鈥淏oo could be a pro this year for certain. But he鈥檚 a bona fide top-five pick if it鈥檚 another year. … He鈥檚 the best athlete on the team.鈥�
Two-way star in high school
Carter’s talent is not a revelation to Damon Floyd, who’s kicking off his 21st season as the head coach at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, Tennessee. He only had Carter for one year, but it was a memorable season as the team advanced to the 2023 Class 6A state semifinals. Floyd recalled the first time he saw Carter on the field. He was hauling in passes one-handed with ease.
鈥淲e kind of looked at each other and it was like, 鈥極h, this guy鈥檚 different. This guy’s unbelievable,’鈥� Floyd said in a phone interview. 鈥淗e’s the most explosive player I’ve ever coached.”
Carter’s impact was all over the field. He finished with 1,795 all-purpose yards and 27 TDs. He also had 102 tackles and two interceptions as a defensive back, along with several electric plays on returns.
鈥淗e鈥檚 blessed with a lot of ability,鈥� Floyd said. “His mindset and his work ethic match it.鈥�
Tennessee career
Carter played in all 13 games as a true freshman for the Volunteers and led the SEC with a 16.5-yard average on punt returns.
An expanded role appeared imminent last season as the team worked him into the slot at wide receiver during spring practice. He reportedly missed workouts that summer and had to work his way back onto the field to start preseason practice.
Last November, he wasn’t on the sideline for a win over New Mexico State. The team later confirmed Carter was no longer on the roster. Around the same time on social media, Carter thanked Tennessee and wrote: 鈥淯nfortunately my season has been cut short due to injury. I have decided to enter the transfer portal.”
He landed in Boulder.
鈥淭he kid, attitude-wide, mentality, A-plus,” said Sanders, whose team went 3-9 last season. “He鈥檚 not problematic. He just wants to know you and wants a relationship to understand that you鈥檝e got his back. He knows that from me.鈥�
Hunter’s Heisman and Colorado’s 鈥淕o-Go鈥� offense
Hunter posted quite the season in winning the Heisman in 2024, catching 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 TDs, along with four interceptions on defense.
Carter believes, if he’s needed, he could fit into new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion鈥檚 innovative 鈥淕o-Go鈥� system that features unbalanced formations and a fast tempo.
鈥淚’ve played both ways my whole life. That鈥檚 a goal that I want to reach,” said Carter, whose real name is Orlando, with the nickname 鈥淏oo鈥� bestowed on him from mom. “But if I don鈥檛 … I just have to stay on my side.鈥�
He’s formed a bond with fellow defensive back Cree Thomas, a transfer from Notre Dame. The tandem will be counted on to help shore up a defense that allowed 30.5 points a game last season.
鈥淲e push each other so much,鈥� Thomas said of Carter. 鈥淗e’s a playmaker. He’s a ball hawk.鈥�
Could he play wideout?
鈥淗e’s an explosive guy,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚 think he could play receiver if they let him.鈥�
___ . Visit and see AP鈥檚 full
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
