Colorado’s edge rusher room went from a clear weakness in 2025 to a suddenly intriguing group heading into the season, and Pro Football Focus put that turnaround in the spotlight during the weekend of Aug. 8.
PFF’s list of highest graded edge rushers in the Big 12 included three Buffaloes in the top 10. Lamont Lester Jr. led the way with a 91.5 grade, the best mark among Colorado defenders and one of only two players to crack the 91 range. Texas Tech’s Adam Trick was the other.
Two more Colorado additions showed up right behind him. Toby Anene, a newcomer from North Dakota State, checked in at No. 7 with an 83.5 grade, while Balansama Kamara landed at No. 8 with an 82.9.
Colorado and reigning Big 12 champion Texas Tech were the only teams with three edge rushers in the top 10 on the list, a striking shift for a program that had to attack the position in the portal and on the recruiting trail after a dismal 2025. None of these players has taken a snap for Colorado yet, but the early buzz is obvious.
Lester arrives with the kind of production that explains the grade. He started three games and still earned Football Championship Subdivision Freshman of the Year honors after posting 11.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. His game is built on an explosive first step, an advanced one-arm hand swipe, and the kind of leverage and motor that keeps plays going backward.
Anene brings a different look at 6-4. He wins with a speed push-pull-rip move, starting with a bull rush, then pulling the arms before finishing with a rip. He also created damage on stunts, giving new defensive coordinator Chris Marve another way to attack inside.
Kamara gives the group a veteran presence. The 6-3 Albany product is entering his sixth season and comes off a year with 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He also spent time at Temple in the American Athletic Conference, and Colorado will lean on that experience.
There’s even a comparison that jumps off the page with Kamara. He could follow the path of another Albany standout, Jared Verse of the Cleveland Browns, who also earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 with the Los Angeles Rams.
Still, Lester and Anene may be the pieces that most quickly change the feel of this pass rush. Their burst and hand usage give Colorado a different edge, and Lester in particular looks like a candidate to lead the team in sacks after nearly reaching double digits at the lower level of Division I football.
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