Colorado adds former FAMU LB Johnny Chaney to their top-ranked transfer portal class

Former Florida A&M linebacker Johnny Chaney has announced he will be transferring to play for Deion Sanders and Colorado.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Chaney was in Boulder this week.

“Just the culture and knowing what the coaching staff is capable of developing me and getting me where I need to be and want to be,” Chaney told On3 Sports.

“Being able to come up here and see it in person, just sitting down and picking their minds and having a talk and seeing where their head is at did it for me.”

How Chaney landed at Colorado

Assistant Director of Player Personnel Devin Rispress led the charge for Colorado who continues to add key pieces to the roster out of the portal. Last year, Chaney finished with 58 total tackles, 27 solo tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery. He had the second-lowest missed tackle rate of any HBCU player last fall and has racked 98 total tackles in three seasons with the Rattlers.

Chaney loves the trajectory of the Colorado program.

“I feel like the sky is the limit,” Chaney said. “Obviously they went and got some guys including me. I feel we have a big season ahead of us. We just have to put in the work to get what we deserve and I feel we’ll do that.”

The visit this week sealed the deal.

“One thing I’ll say is the culture,” Chaney stated. “I’m really big on culture. The brotherhood and how they treat the players and how they want relationships with the players I feel that speaks a lot. That’s really a big thing I look for in school. 

“It was a good match.”

The Buffaloes continue to roll in the portal

Chaney is the fourth transfer portal pickup of the month for Sanders and his staff joining cornerback Ivan Yates, defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas and offensive tackle Ethan Boyd.

Colorado has On3’s No. 1 ranked transfer portal haul.