Who's in and out? Colorado State football's key offseason roster changes

The roster wheeling and dealing is slowing down now.

The winter transfer portal window is closed for college football and most high school signings are done.

The Colorado State football team is now in winter workouts with spring ball approaching in March. There will likely be more shuffling before the 2024 season begins, but much has been completed.

Here's a look at the key ins and outs on the roster since the 2023 season ended:

Key departures

Here are some of the players who are now longer with the Rams, leaving important voids to fill:

Dallin Holker — The star tight end, who was a finalist for the Mackey Award, had another year of eligibility available but chose to pursue the NFL route.

Out of eligibility — Everyone knew they wouldn't be back for 2024 with eligibility up, but CSU lost some key seniors. Those are headlined by defensive end Mohamed Kamara, corner Chigozie Anusiem and offensive lineman Oliver Jervis.

TJ Crandall — The true freshman cornerback had a solid first-year campaign but was lured away by Power 5's, ultimately transferring to West Virginia.

Grady Kelly — The interior defensive lineman has been a consistent force on the inside but also was lured to a Power 5 with a transfer to Florida State. Pass rusher Marshon Oxley is also no longer on CSU's roster.

Louis Brown — The receiver had 481 yards and five touchdowns last season as a sophomore but entered the portal. He ended up transferring to San Diego State.

Clay Millen — It's a significant departure in former stature. Millen wasn't expected to start for CSU in 2024, so it's not a surprise. But still, the transfer of the former starter (to Florida) is worth noting.

Key additions

As some go, others come in. CSU has added several players who will see the field in important roles this offseason. Here's a look:

Tory Horton — OK, not an "addition" because he's been on the team but the return of the star receiver works like a key addition. Horton passing on the NFL for another year cures several problems. It removes the pain of losing Brown and kept CSU from needing to try and find a Horton replacement. Horton is one of the top players in the league.

Isaiah Essissima, Elias Larry — The 5-foot-10 Essissima comes from Nevada and the 6-foot Larry from Navy to help fill CSU's secondary. The Rams lost Anusiem, Crandall and Ron Hardge from the cornerback group. Dom Jones returns, but CSU sorely needed depth and both Essissima and Larry could compete for starting roles. The Rams need them to be productive.

Alex Foster, Chandler Brown — Two offensive linemen to add depth to the group. Foster is a 6-foot-5 tackle who started the last 17 games at left tackle at Utah Tech. Brown is 6-foot-5 and played in 28 games over the last three seasons at Shepherd University. The Rams had success finding talent from lower levels (Jervis, Saveyon Henderson) and hope for more of that from Foster and Brown.

Donovan Ollie — The 6-foot-3 receiver adds depth and Power 5 experience to the room. He had a two-touchdown outing against CSU while at Washington State two years ago.

Remaining questions

Now, don't forget that this isn't the set roster for the 2024 season. Spring practices are upcoming and there's another transfer portal window in the spring. The Rams can (and likely will) still add. Plus, there's a bevy of freshmen incoming.

So, what are positions CSU could still look to boost?

Tight end — The Rams have 6-foot-7 Vince Brown. Staff was high on him a year ago, but he didn't get many opportunities simply because Holker was so dominant. There's also 6-foot-5 Jordan Williams and 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman Mason Muaau, who was on the travel squad late in the season. If staff is happy with their development in spring they could ride with this group, but if they don't seem strong enough it could be a portal option.

Defensive line — CSU has a number of young linemen on defense who will have a chance to step up, but could they use an experienced pass rusher to help replace Kamara? Every team in the nation wants one of those, so it's not easy to find but could be something the Rams pursue post-spring. Especially with Oxley gone, the Rams may pursue more edge help.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Who's in and out? Colorado State football key offseason roster changes