Colorado’s 2026 season may come down to three spots that still need answers, and every one of them matters for Deion Sanders’ program.
The biggest one sits under center. Redshirt freshman Julian Lewis has already gotten a taste of game action, appearing in four games and starting two during the 2025 season.
That’s experience, but it’s not the same as walking into a season as the guy. In 2026, the pressure on Lewis will be heavier, and Colorado will need him to deliver if the Buffaloes want to avoid a messy offseason full of hard questions.
There is help around him. Colorado added a lot of talent through the transfer portal, and Brennan Marion is in as the new offensive coordinator.
That gives Lewis a better setup to grow into the job. Still, the offense goes only as far as Lewis takes it, especially with a tough Big 12 schedule waiting.
The secondary has its own unsettled battle, and it starts with the cornerback spot opposite Cree Thomas. Thomas looked the part all spring, making plays on the ball with interceptions and pass breakups, which appears to have locked him into one starting job. The other cornerback role is still wide open.
That competition includes Justin Eaglin, a James Madison transfer; Paul Omodia, a Lamar transfer; RJ Johnson, who returns from the 2025 roster; Preston Ashley, a freshman; Makari Vickers, another returner from 2025; and Jason Stokes Jr., a Utah transfer. Colorado has added experience and playmaking to the room, but nobody has clearly separated yet. That’s a problem in the Big 12, where having dependable corners is a necessity, not a luxury, especially with new defensive coordinator Chris Marve taking over.
The final question is up front, where Colorado still has to settle on its starting offensive line. Spring practice used a draft format instead of a traditional setup, so the Buffaloes never got a clean look at a true first five. That leaves fall camp as the real proving ground.
The line has been a weak point during Sanders’ time in Boulder, with protection and run blocking both issues. Colorado tried to fix that by adding more bodies and more talent, but the group still has to sort itself out.
At tackle, the options include Bo Hughley, Taj White, Leon Bell, Jayven Richardson, Larry Johnson, Andre Roye Jr., Philip Houston, Hudson Steeber, and Xavier Payne. Inside at guard are Jayvon McFadden, Jose Soto, Yahay Attia, and Chauncey Gooden.
At center, the choices are Demetrius Hunter and Sean Kinney.
No one has won the job yet, though Hughley, White, Hunter, McFadden, and Soto could have the edge based on experience. Even so, the final decision will come down to which five fit together best and can run Marion’s offense most effectively.
If Colorado gets that combination right, protects Lewis, and opens lanes for the running backs, the offense should be in far better shape than it was in 2025.
In Other News...
Jalen Ramsey Just Gave Deion Sanders And Colorado A Huge Endorsement
Jalen Ramseys visit to Colorados leadership retreat gave Deion Sanders another high-profile voice in the room, and it came at a useful time for a program trying to reset the tone after a difficult season. The NFL cornerback spoke to Buffaloes players during the retreat and made clear that Sanders was a major influence on the way he learned to play, which is the kind of endorsement that still carries real weight with a college roster trying to find its edge.
For Colorado, the message mattered because Sanders has already shown he can shape defensive backs into NFL-caliber players, and Ramseys presence only reinforced that reputation. The retreat was designed to build leadership inside the locker room, and hearing from a player of Ramseys stature gave the Buffaloes a reminder of what Sanders can mean beyond the sideline, even if the bigger question for this group is how quickly that message turns into something steadier on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Suddenly Winning A Recruiting Fight Fans Know Well
Colorados 2027 recruiting work is starting to look a lot more like the kind of class that can change the conversation around the program. The Buffaloes are up to No. 35 nationally in the latest 247Sports team rankings, a clear step forward from where the 2026 group finished, and theyve done it with 19 verbal commitments already in the fold. Four of those pledges carry four-star status, a sign that Deion Sanders and his staff are not just filling numbers but landing players with real upside.
The bigger takeaway for Colorado is how often it has been able to stay in the fight for names that matter, even when the process does not go perfectly. The Buffs have taken some hits on the trail, but they have also answered with key commitments that keep the class in the Big 12s upper tier, according to national outlets. The next question is whether this momentum can hold through the rest of the cycle, because the difference between a good class and a program-shifting one is usually decided in the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]