Colorado’s defensive front is already dealing with one eligibility headache, and now there’s another name to watch.
The Buffaloes headed to Atlanta on Sept. 1 for their season-opening matchup with Georgia Tech, but edge rusher Balansama Kamara was not among the players making the trip. Kamara, a transfer from Albany, is also navigating NCAA eligibility issues, according to Brian Thomas of On3’s Colorado site Buff Blitz on Sept. 1.
Kamara isn’t listed on Colorado’s team roster page, and Thomas reported that he was not an active participant in fall practices. Thomas also wrote, "Kamara, who would be a sixth-year senior, has been denied in attempts to gain eligibility.
He is scheduled for a preliminary injunction hearing in Boulder County court on Wednesday," adding that district court judge J. Chris Larson is overhearing the case.
That situation mirrors the one facing defensive tackle Ezra Christensen, who was denied a preliminary injunction on Aug. 24 while seeking a sixth season of eligibility from the NCAA. So instead of arriving with the full group, Colorado has had to prepare without two key front-line additions.
Kamara had been drawing attention well before the eligibility battle took center stage. Pro Football Focus ranked him among the Big 12’s highest-graded incoming edge rushers for the 2026 season with an 82.9 mark, trailing only teammate Lamont Lester Jr., who checked in at 91.5. At Albany, Kamara posted 7.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss, production that helped make him one of the more intriguing defensive transfers in Boulder.
He also followed a path that’s starting to look familiar in the college-to-power-conference pipeline. Kamara became the first leading rusher from Albany to move to a Power Four program since Jared Verse, who rose to prominence at Florida State before becoming a top 15 NFL Draft pick for 2024. Verse is now with the Cleveland Browns after a June 1 blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Rams, a deal that also put him on the same roster as Shedeur, Sanders’ son and former Colorado quarterback.
For Colorado, Kamara’s absence matters beyond just the player himself. New defensive coordinator Chris Marve is making his Buffaloes debut against Georgia Tech after arriving from Virginia Tech, and Kamara would have given him another long, disruptive piece to work with off the edge.
Even so, Colorado does have options. North Dakota State transfer Toby Anene has been getting plenty of offseason buzz and is set for his own Power Four debut in 2026. Lester should see more snaps in the opener and throughout September, too.
The edge room also includes San Jose State transfer Vili Taufatofua, a 6-3, 259-pound defender who played with relentless energy and power while collecting seven tackles for loss for the Spartans in 2025. Tulane transfer Santana Hopper is another name in the mix and can line up on the edge as well, though Christensen’s unresolved status may push him into a three-technique role for now.
If that happens, junior college transfer Domata Peko Jr. could also climb the depth chart. Peko Jr. was a standout at Ventura College in Southern California and is the son of Colorado’s defensive line coach, a 15-year NFL veteran.
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