The Colorado Buffaloes have a simple problem to solve in 2026: find somebody who can own the glass.
That was a rough area in 2025, when Colorado finished 13th in the Big 12 in total rebounds and last in offensive rebounds per game. The Buffs also haven’t had a player average double-digit rebounds since Andre Roberson put up 11.2 in 2012. So the search is on for new production, and there are five names worth watching.
The clearest bet is Neely. He already proved he can rebound at an elite level, finishing second in the country in rebounds per game at 11.5 in 2025.
At 6-6, he may have to adjust to the size and physicality of the Big 12, but the production is real. If he stays healthy and carries that form forward, he has the best chance to lead Colorado again.
Feddersen brings the most obvious size advantage. At 6-10 and 245 pounds, he has the frame to carve out space and clean up misses.
The issue is that the production never fully matched the tools at North Dakota State, where he never averaged more than six rebounds per game in a season. Still, the raw ability is there for him to make a real jump.
Gomez fits a similar mold in a different way. He has the body and the background to help on the boards, along with FIBA experience, but his 2025 season at Charlotte was cut short after just two games because of a season-ending injury.
Health is the key here. If he stays on the floor, Colorado could get major rebounding help from him.
Malual is more of a long shot, mostly because he’s so untested in this setting. He was a successful defender and rebounder in Australia’s National Basketball League, but 2026 will be his first season of American basketball.
There could be an adjustment period, and that might slow him down early. Even so, if he adapts quickly and boxes out well, he has a path to the top of the team rebounding chart by the end of the season.
Then there’s Sanders, the guard in the group with the best chance to make this happen. It’s never easy for a guard to lead a team in rebounding, but Sanders has the frame to battle bigger players, and he started showing that edge late in 2025.
His shot is still developing, so rebounding could become a bigger part of his identity early in his career. If Boyle keeps him in a similar role to the one he had at the end of last season, Sanders could put up strong numbers on the boards in 2026.
In Other News...
Colorado QB Battle Just Got More Intriguing After Marion's Wilson Take
Isaac Wilsons arrival in Boulder added another layer to a Colorado quarterback room that was already drawing plenty of attention. The transfer from Utah comes with the kind of arm talent and playmaking profile offensive coordinator Brennan Marion likes, and Marions offense is built to create those shot opportunities. Wilson spent two seasons with the Utes, including a freshman campaign that gave Colorado a real look at how he handles live game action.
Marions read, though, also points to what still has to come next for Wilson. He has the ability to hit big plays, but the emphasis now is on making the easier, safer decisions and protecting the ball more consistently. For a Buffs offense looking to sort out its pecking order, that matters because every rep in camp can shift the conversation, even with Julian Lewis still sitting at the front of the line. [Read more 🡒]
Tad Boyle Just Took Colorados First Big Swing At A 2027 Reset
After a frustrating 2026 cycle left Colorado near the bottom of the Big 12 recruiting picture, Tad Boyles staff has already turned the page to the next class. The Buffaloes have extended a scholarship offer to a highly regarded 2027 wing from Texas, a move that fits the kind of early, aggressive recruiting push Colorado needs if it wants to steady the pipeline and avoid another thin class.
The challenge is obvious from the start: the prospects offer sheet already reaches 18 Division I programs, and Butler has emerged as the front-runner. Colorado is still in the race, but with one school already setting up a visit and the early attention building elsewhere, the Buffaloes will have to make an impression quickly if they want this swing to become something more than just an early shot in the dark. [Read more 🡒]