About a week after playing with James Madison in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Justin Eaglin announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.
One of the first people to call the All-Sun Belt cornerback was Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.
“When I heard Deion Sanders’ voice and he said he watched my game – and it wasn’t just, ‘Oh you’re long and fast,’ like he was actually giving me plays that happened during the season, so, like, I know he was actually watching my film,” Eaglin said. “That was like, man, Deion Sanders is watching my film, I gotta at least go up there and talk to him and see how he feels.”
Widely considered the best cornerback to ever play the game, Sanders is hoping Eaglin, who has since committed to CU and enrolled in school, can be a key part of the overhauled CU defense in 2026.
“I’m super excited, man, because right now I believe I’m great and all this good stuff,” Eaglin said. “I feel like, yeah, I know the majority of stuff to play corner, but I feel like Deion Sanders is going to take my game over the top where I’m not just a good corner no more, I’m a great corner.”
In going 3-9 (1-8 Big 12) this past season, CU struggled defensively, ranking 112th nationally in points allowed (30.5 per game) and 123rd in yards allowed (425.7 per game).
Only five scholarship players remain from the 2025 defense, with safety Ben Finneseth being the returning leader in snaps played, with 275 (18th most on the defense).
At corner, CU returns RJ Johnson and Makari Vickers, who battled injuries and were part-time starters. But, the Buffs added several transfers, including Eaglin; Emory Floyd from Appalachian State, who earned honorable mention in the Sun Belt; Paul Omodia, who was second-team All-Southland for Lamar in the FCS; Jason Stokes, who was a reserve at Utah; and Cree Thomas, who redshirted at Notre Dame.
True freshmen Preston Ashley and Maurice Williams will also be in the mix.
The 6-foot, 177-pound Eaglin, who has one year of eligibility remaining, comes to CU after a breakout season at James Madison. Eaglin recorded 35 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups in helping the Dukes to a 12-2 record, Sun Belt title, No. 19 final ranking in the Associated Press and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
One of his interceptions came in the Dukes’ 51-34 loss to Oregon in the CFP on Dec. 20.
“It felt legendary, man,” he said of this season at JMU. “I was one of the first classes that was FBS at JMU. … To be able to go to the playoff with some of my guys who I came in with my freshman year (in 2022), we just looked around like, ‘Bruh, we did it.’”
Eaglin didn’t take the easy path, either.
Coming out of Pine Forest (North Carolina) High School in 2022, his only FBS offer came from JMU and then-head coach Curt Cignetti.
“Obviously everybody wants to go to Alabama, Clemson, all that,” Eaglin said. “I got lucky because a lot of people couldn’t even get any offers (coming out of COVID-19). I took that opportunity like, yeah, it’s not Alabama but you’re still playing Division I football.”
As a true freshman, he redshirted, but Cignetti brought him on road trips so Eaglin could experience the college football atmosphere. In 2023, Eaglin played in just one game because the Dukes had freshman All-American D’Angelo Ponds ahead of him.
“I mean, he was an All-American so I can’t really get too mad at that,” Eaglin said of not playing in 2023.
In 2024, Cignetti and Ponds went to Indiana, starting their path that would lead to the Hoosiers’ first national title earlier this week. When they left, Eaglin got his opportunity.
“(Coach Bob Chesney) gave me that shot, and from there I just took off,” Eaglin said. “I feel like all I needed was a shot.”
As he leaves JMU, Eaglin said he’s forever grateful for his time with the Dukes and his development as a player.
“When I look back on it, it kind of helped me because when I played I was ready,” Eaglin said of biding his time in 2022 and 2023. “Some people got thrown in there and they wasn’t ready yet. … God did it for a reason, so I’m here now.”
Eaglin said he’s going to miss JMU “a lot,” but he’s also eager to play for the Buffs, test himself at the Power Four level and learn from Coach Prime.
“I’m real excited, man, just new beginnings,” he said. “I know a lot’s going to come with it, but I’m ready, man. I’m ready to attack it full, head-on. … I know I can (play at this level), but I want to show everybody else I can.”
