Colorado’s defense got an immediate jolt from Lamont Lester Jr., and the Monmouth transfer wasted no time showing why the Buffaloes were excited about him. Lester piled up three sacks against Georgia Tech, with the final one arriving at a key moment to stop a drive on third down late in the third quarter.
That performance matched the mindset he had already put on display before the season. In a spring appearance on the Unscripted 2.0 podcast, Lester made it plain what kind of player he sees himself as.
“My personal goal for this year is just to really go out and dominate and be the best version of myself I can be on and off the field,” Lester said.
He didn’t stop there. When asked to describe what quarterbacks should expect, his answer was blunt.
“I’m a relentless person. I’m a relentless player.”
For Colorado, that relentlessness showed up in a defensive end room that had been rebuilt, and Lester’s three-sack night offered an early glimpse of what he can bring to Boulder. But the production wasn’t just about burst off the edge. Lester pointed to the work behind it, especially the habits he built at Monmouth under defensive line coach Codey Cole, who joined the program in February 2025, while Lewis Walker served as defensive coordinator.
In the interview, Lester credited his position coach with helping the whole group get better. He also leaned hard on the less flashy parts of the job: studying film, knowing his assignment and trusting the preparation that comes before the lights come on.
“Always just have some confidence in you cuz confidence could take you a long way,” Lester told Unscripted 2.0.
That confidence has carried him from New Jersey, where he attended Waldwick and Don Bosco Prep, through Monmouth and into a bigger stage in Colorado. But Lester pushed back on the idea that his rise was about proving anyone wrong.
“I was really just running my own race,” he said.
His move to Colorado came down to belief in the direction of the program and the people around it.
“Just what they were building over here and what we can be as a team,” Lester said when asked what convinced him to commit.
He also kept his description of Deion Sanders short and direct.
“He’s a leader.”
Lester said the transition into a new setting was nerve-wracking at first, but he has grown more comfortable. Through it all, he came across as grateful for the chance and focused on making the most of it.
“A lot of kids don’t get an opportunity like this,” he said.
And for younger athletes, Lester’s message was simple, the same kind of steady persistence that showed up against Georgia Tech.
“You’ll never know where you end up if you just keep going.”
In Other News...
Former Colorado Defender Just Added Real Emotion To The Georgia Tech Opener
Ahead of the season opener, Georgia Tech defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas put a little extra edge into a matchup that already had plenty of built-in intrigue. Thomas, who spent time at Louisville and Colorado before transferring to Atlanta, is giving the Yellow Jackets some help on the defensive line after a career that included a stint under Deion Sanders with the Buffs and a run of production that made him a meaningful addition for his new team.
Thomas also made it clear the opener carries more than ordinary first-game stakes for him. In a social media post, he expressed a desire for revenge against his former school, turning a nonconference matchup into something more personal and giving Colorado another layer to think about as it gets ready to open the year against a player who knows the program from the inside. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados 2026 Offense Hinges On One Huge Question
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Joseph Williams also looms as a possible difference-maker at receiver, giving the Buffaloes at least one more name to watch as the offense comes into focus. Still, the bigger question is whether Lewis can make the leap from promising young quarterback to true driver of the attack, because for Colorado, the answer may define how much Marion can open things up in his first year calling the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados New Defensive Identity Faces A Brutal Opening Test
Chris Marve is getting his first game as Colorados defensive coordinator, and the early read on what he wants this unit to look like is clear enough. It is less about memorizing a system and more about building an identity through how the Buffaloes play, with Marve stressing communication, pursuit and collective effort as the foundation for the defense.
Georgia Tech offers a demanding first chance to see whether that message is taking hold. The Yellow Jackets bring a rushing attack that can put a defense on its heels, with Justice Haynes at the center of it, so Colorados opening test will say plenty about how quickly Marves approach can translate from the meeting room to the field. [Read more 🡒]