Colorado’s fall camp is about to sort out a roster loaded with new faces, and the first wave of depth-chart decisions could leave at least one familiar name on the outside looking in.
Joseph Williams, who finished 2025 as Colorado’s second-leading receiver with 37 catches for 489 yards and four touchdowns, is projected to miss out on a starting job despite that production. The issue isn’t his size or physicality - it’s the sheer volume of talent the Buffaloes added at receiver.
In this projection, Williams doesn’t just fall behind for the top spot opposite quarterback Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis. He slips outside the top three altogether.
The competition around him is stiff. San Jose State transfer Danny Scudero led the nation in receiving in 2025 and made noise in Colorado’s spring game.
Texas transfer DeAndre Moore Jr. arrives after serving as the No. 2 target for Arch Manning in a loaded offense last season. Miami University transfer Kam Perry has drawn repeated praise from coaches, including Deion Sanders.
Sacramento State transfer Ernest Campbell is also part of the mix. With that crowd in the room, Williams has a real fight on his hands in his junior year.
On the other side of the ball, Colorado’s defense may have its loudest voice come from a player who isn’t expected to start. Former walk-on safety Ben Finneseth received another year of eligibility for the 2026 season after an injury ended his 2025 campaign early, and he was already one of the team’s strongest leaders last year. Even so, the Buffaloes built their safety group expecting him not to return, with Naeten Mitchell and Randon Fontenette projected to take the starting jobs.
Finneseth spoke about that growth at Big 12 Media Days, saying, “The thing with last year was we just didn’t have the players that wanted to lead and were willing to lead, and it starts with me,” said Finneseth at Big 12 Media Days. “I didn’t feel confident enough in myself. After getting this past year under my belt and gaining some confidence, knowing I can play at this level, it’s significantly helped me.”
There’s also the matter of Deion Sanders himself. With so much talent on the roster and so little buzz around it this deep into the offseason, Sanders is expected to use fall camp to make a statement before Week 1.
He’s not in the habit of publicly overselling a team he doesn’t believe can deliver, but this roster could be the exception. That means bowl talk, bold predictions, or pointed comments about opponents Colorado expects to beat could all surface before September.
If Sanders stays quiet, that would raise eyebrows in its own way. More likely, he’ll make sure everyone knows exactly what he thinks of this group before the season gets rolling.
In Other News...
Colorado Is Getting Real Buzz As Deions Rebuild Starts To Land
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The pieces are starting to look more interesting, too, with quarterback Julian Lewis and wide receiver Danny Scudero among the notable additions. Preseason projections still have Colorado sitting around the middle of the Big 12, but ESPNs inclusion suggests the Buffs are becoming a team worth watching as Sanders rebuild keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Transfer Linebacker Is Already Forcing Attention In Open Battle
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That kind of work matters in a room where several transfer linebackers are all competing for snaps and starting roles this season. For Colorado, the open battle is still unfolding, but Lamprons decision to dive into the playbook early gives him a chance to separate himself before the competition turns fully live. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Fixed A Lot This Offseason But One Weakness Still Lingers
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Even so, the rebuild did not touch every concern equally. Quarterback and tight end only saw modest improvement, which leaves a familiar question hanging over the offense as camp opens. The new pieces should raise the floor in several spots, but Colorado still has to prove the weakest area can keep pace with the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]