The Colorado football team has added some depth at cornerback with Miami (Fla.) transfer Nigel Bethel Jr.
Bethel is listed as inactive on the Buffaloes’ roster and must sit out this season because of the NCAA transfer rule. He will be able to practice with the Buffs this season and then have three seasons to play starting in 2020.
A three-star prospect coming out of Miami Northwestern High School, Bethel played in one game last season and redshirted with the Hurricanes. He announced his decision to transfer on Aug. 16 and was added to the CU roster this week.
According to 247Sports.com, Bethel had 13 scholarship offers coming out of high school, including from Georgia. At that time, current CU head coach Mel Tucker was Georgia’s defensive coordinator. Bethel originally committed to Florida before ultimately signing with Miami.
Bethel, listed at 6-foot, 170 pounds, gives the Buffs some much-needed depth at corner for the future.
This season, the Buffs have just seven scholarship corners available, and four are freshmen. Two of the four freshmen were moved from receiver this month. CU will lose one of its top corners, Delrick Abrams Jr., to graduation after this year.
CU also has three cornerbacks currently committed for the 2020 class: Alton Julian from College of San Mateo; Chris Carpenter from Jacksonville (Tex.) High School; and Gavin Holmes from Archbishop Rummel (La.) High School.
This week, the Buffs also put walk-on safety Lucas Cooper on scholarship. A fifth-year senior, he has been a key special teams player the past couple of seasons and provides depth on defense.
