"We're different from a multitude of other teams," Sanders said Tuesday on Thee Pregame Show . "What has worked for us tremendously, we pattern this thing like the NFL. The NFL only has several draft choices for the 53-man roster, and we go about it from free agency standpoint.

"Then we look at high school. Probably, we would love seven to ten. Sometimes we fall short of that, because in this day and age, and the stage, we want guys that we know could do it right now. We don't have time to develop right now."

"You've got to make sure, and do you homework, and research, and due diligence that that guy fits you," Sanders continued. "And sometimes you miss that. Sometimes you don't do that effectively, and you miss. And you've got to admit, I missed.

"But more so than the others, you want to make sure you're getting that guy that fits you. He has to fit what you're doing... You're bringing him in, and you have an expectation of him right now. Not later."

He is likely to get the opportunity as the Buffaloes brace for the exit of running back Dylan Edwards, whom ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported Tuesday is expected to enter the transfer portal. Edwards started the first four games of the 2023 season.

The Buffaloes already lost to the portal tailback Alton McCaskill, who started four games before redshirting last season, as well as cornerback Cormani McClain, a former five-star recruit who started four games and appeared in nine.

Right tackle Savion Washington (nine starts) as well as defensive tackle Chazz Wallace (four starts in the last four games) are transferring, as is safety Jaden Milliner-Jones, who played 12 games last season.