Colorado’s fall camp is about to sort out more than just depth charts. For a handful of players, it’s a real opening to crash the starting lineup and change the shape of the Buffaloes’ 2026 season.
Some of the names are already getting plenty of buzz. Others are sitting a little deeper in the shadows. But all five of these players have a path - however narrow - to winning a starting job if they put together the right camp.
One of the quieter names to watch is Appalachian State transfer Emory Floyd. Colorado’s cornerback group has been a major talking point this offseason, with former Tennessee safety turned Buffs cornerback Boo Carter, along with freshmen Mojo Williams and Cree Thomas, drawing attention after strong spring showings.
Floyd, though, has mostly stayed under the radar despite real production. In 2025 at App.
State, he posted 57 tackles, 35 of them unassisted, along with five pass breakups and an interception. If that kind of output carries over to the Big 12, he could do more than win a job - he could become one of the breakout stories of 2026.
Another player with a real chance to force his way into the picture is receiver Campbell. He brings a different kind of value to a crowded wideout room, and his speed is the trait that can separate him from the pack.
The knock has been his smaller frame and the fact that he hasn’t played in Power Four football, but the upside is obvious. If he can show he can handle a bigger workload and repeat the level he showed at Sacramento State, he has a legitimate shot to come out of camp as a starter.
At linebacker, Colorado’s top recruit in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports, is Carson Crawford. The site had him as a four-star prospect and the No. 10 linebacker in the class.
Even with that kind of pedigree, he’s still an outside contender for a starting role because the room is already crowded. He’ll be trying to crack a group that includes Liona Lefau, Tyler Martinez and Gideon ESPN Lampron.
Still, if Crawford proves earlier than expected that he can match the talent scouts saw in him, Colorado could have a young starter on its hands right away.
Tight end is another spot worth watching closely. Zach Atkins is the favorite to hold onto the starting job, but Kopetz gives the Buffs another experienced option who can make the competition interesting.
A former walk-on, Kopetz has spent his entire run in Boulder as an underdog. Now, with his final year of eligibility here, he has one more chance to force the issue.
A strong camp could be enough to put him in the mix.
The longest odds on the list belong to Wilson, who is up against former five-star recruit Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis for the starting quarterback job. Lewis won the role late in the 2025 season and showed promise once he got it.
Wilson does have more starting experience, which gives him something to lean on. But Lewis has already become the focal point of the offense since taking over, and the coaching staff is unlikely to make a change unless Wilson makes a strong, undeniable case in camp.
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5 Buffs Enter Fall Camp With Everything To Prove
With fall camp approaching, Colorados roster turnover has created a fresh round of opportunity, but it has also sharpened the spotlight on the players who have been in Boulder long enough to know what is expected. Among the returning Buffs, quarterback Lewis, running back Richard Young and several others are heading into the 2026 season with their careers at a crossroads, as the coaching staff looks for more production, more consistency and more signs that former recruiting buzz can finally turn into real on-field value.
Lewis arrives at camp with added competition and the chance to fit into Brennan Marions offense, while Young is trying to make good on the promise that followed him from Alabama. The same pressure hangs over other key returners, including one former blue-chip defender now being asked to handle a new role up front, because the next few weeks will go a long way toward determining who can seize a bigger job and who is still searching for a breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]