Cal OT transfer Leon Bell commits to Colorado
Former California Golden Bears offensive tackle Leon Bell has committed to Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes , per On3’s Pete Nakos. Bell was the No. 24 OT in the 2026 NCAA transfer portal rankings.
Bell spent one season with Cal. He began his DI career at Mississippi State , where he played two seasons.
During his time on the west coast, Bell started eight games for the Golden Bears. He eventually lost his spot at right tackle in November and is now looking for a fresh start in Boulder.
At Mississippi State, Bell made six appearances across two seasons in Starkville including one start (vs. Arizona State). He played 60 total snaps during two seasons and never gave up a sack.
He’s had quite the journey, as Bell attended Kilgore CC where he became one of the top prospects at the JUCO level. Bell was the No. 15 recruit in the JUCO portal rankings ahead of the 2023 season according to the On3 JUCO Industry Rankings.
Bell is the 34th player to commit to Coach Prime and the Buffaloes ahead of the 2026 season. The Buffaloes currently have the 18th-ranked portal class so far, according the the On3 transfer portal team rankings.
Colorado finished the 2025 season with a 3-9 record, including a 1-8 mark against the Big 12 Conference. The Buffaloes were coming off a 9-4 finish in 2024, but had a down year after the departure of QB Shedeur Sanders (now the QB of the Cleveland Browns) and Heisman Trophy-winning two-way star Travis Hunter ( Jacksonville Jaguars ) to the NFL.
2025 was head coach Deion Sanders’ third season coaching the Buffaloes. During that time, Coach Prime has compiled a 16-21 record, including a 9-18 mark against conference play. Colorado was in the Pac-12 during Sanders’ first season as head coach, going 1-8 against the conference. The Buffaloes turned that into a 7-2 mark during conference play in their first season back in the Big 12.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire . The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
