After spending his senior season with Deion Sanders’ Colorado program, former Tennessee quarterback Kaidon Salter has officially declared for the NFL Draft. Salter’s decision comes after five seasons playing collegiate football with Tennessee, Liberty, and Colorado.
Salter penned a message to his supporters from each fanbase on social media. He included a picture of himself at each of his stops, including one of him in his Tennessee uniform.
“I am deeply grateful for the programs and coaches who invested in me: The University of Tennessee, Liberty University, and the University of Colorado Boulder,” Salter wrote in his statement. “Each experience taught me accountability, resilience, and how to lead through adversity. I’ve grown in my understanding of preparation, communication, trust, and what it means to show up every day for work… With faith in God’s plan and confidence in the work I’ve put in, I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft. I welcome the opportunity to continue learning, growing, and competing at the next level. All glory to God. The journey continues.”
Salter originally committed to Tennessee out of Cedar Hill High School in Texas in the 2021 recruiting class. The 6-foot-1 quarterback was a four-star prospect and the No. 17-ranked quarterback in the recruiting cycle. He committed to Tennessee on May 10, 2020, when Jeremy Pruitt was still the coach. Despite the coaching change, Salter still signed with the program.
However, before he could play a game under Josh Heupel, he was dismissed from the team due to off-the-field arrests. He transferred to Liberty during the offseason and began his career with the Flames instead.
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During his first season with Liberty, Salter played in two games and completed one of his two pass attempts for a 39-yard touchdown as a true freshman. He saw more action during his second season with the program, playing in eight games and starting in four, with 1,088 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Salter hit his breakout season during the Flames’ 2023 campaign and put his name on the map in a big way. The Texas native threw for a career-high 2,876 yards with 32 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for more than 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns during that season. In 2024, his numbers took a dip, but he remained the starter and went 8-3 in his time atop the offense.
After four seasons with the Flames, Salter transferred to Colorado for the 2025 season in succession of now-NFL quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Salter played in and started nine games for the Buffaloes, throwing for 1,414 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. He also ran the ball for 356 yards and five touchdowns.
In Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft positional rankings from Friday, Salter was not listed among the Top 11 quarterback prospects. He’s likely a mid to late-round prospect heading into the draft, but we’ll know more when the college football postseason ends and the draft talk really begins to ramp up.
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QB Kaidon Salter has officially declared for the NFL Draft ‼️⏳🫡🔥 #NFLBuffs #UpTheSko
Career Stats:
539/906 (59.5%)
7,303 Yards
66 TD 24 INT
454 Att
2,362 Yards
26 TDWith Colorado: (9GP)
127/204 (62.3%)
1,414 Yards
10 TD 7 INT
103 Att
356 Yards
5 TD pic.twitter.com/nJTMVBsMYz— KeepItRealBuffs (@keepitbuffs) January 2, 2026
