Colorado’s trip to Big 12 football media days comes with more intrigue than certainty.
Deion Sanders and six player representatives will be in Frisco, Texas, next week as the Buffs head into their third season back in the conference. The general feeling around Colorado is that it should be better than last year’s 3-9 finish, but that optimism still comes with some big unresolved questions - especially at quarterback and along a defensive front that needs answers fast.
The Buffs are scheduled to speak Tuesday at the Ford Center at The Star, with tight end Zach Atkins, quarterback Julian Lewis, wide receiver Danny Scudero, cornerback Cree Thomas and safeties Ben Finneseth and Naeten Mitchell joining Sanders. Lewis being the lone quarterback among the player reps stands out for a reason: even if he hasn’t locked down the starting job over Utah transfer Isaac Wilson, he’s clearly trending in the right direction.
That quarterback battle is the biggest storyline hanging over Colorado right now. Lewis, a redshirt freshman, showed signs of progress in spring camp, but he’s still learning Brennan Marion’s Go-Go offense.
Sanders is expected to get plenty of questions about the position in Frisco, and the Buffs are hoping the 18-year-old is ready when they open against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.
The front line on defense may be even less settled. Colorado’s interior defensive line is still in flux, with New Mexico State transfer Ezra Christensen’s eligibility status unresolved. That leaves the Buffs leaning on a group of tackles making the jump to the Power Four level, and first-year defensive line coach Dante’ Carter will be tasked with getting production out of a long list of newcomers.
That group includes transfers Santana Hopper from Tulane, Tyler Moore from Coastal Carolina, Dylan Manuel from Appalachian State, Vili Taufatofua from San Jose State, Samu Taumanupepe from Baylor and others.
There’s also a crowded backfield, but no clear hierarchy yet. Micah Welch and DeKalon Taylor both return with different skill sets, and they’ll be joined by Alabama transfer Richard Young along with Sacramento State transfers Damian Henderson II and Jaquail Smith. Everyone should get a shot, but the rotation still hasn’t taken shape.
One spot that does seem to be moving toward clarity is cornerback. Sanders said during spring camp that Thomas is the current favorite for the top job, and the Notre Dame transfer backed that up with a strong first spring in Boulder. That performance earned him a trip to media days.
The second corner spot, though, remains open. Tennessee transfer Boo Carter can play anywhere in the secondary, and Sanders recently said corner could be the fit. If that’s where Carter lands, he looks like a strong candidate to grab a starting role.
In Other News...
Coach Prime Still Has One Massive Colorado Decision To Make
Colorados roster has plenty of new faces and a fresh coaching staff heading into the 2026 season, but the biggest questions are still the old familiar kind: who starts, and where. Deion Sanders and his staff have spent the offseason trying to sort out the pieces after adding talent through transfers, and fall camp is expected to bring the first real answers on several spots that will shape how competitive this team can be.
The uncertainty is especially noticeable on defense and up front, where the Buffaloes still need to settle a second cornerback next to Cree Thomas and find the best five-man combination on the offensive line. Those decisions can quietly define a season, and Colorado is approaching camp with enough options to feel hopeful, but not enough clarity to feel settled. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Ramsey Just Gave Deion Sanders And Colorado A Huge Endorsement
Jalen Ramseys visit to Colorados leadership retreat gave Deion Sanders another high-profile voice in the room, and it came at a useful time for a program trying to reset the tone after a difficult season. The NFL cornerback spoke to Buffaloes players during the retreat and made clear that Sanders was a major influence on the way he learned to play, which is the kind of endorsement that still carries real weight with a college roster trying to find its edge.
For Colorado, the message mattered because Sanders has already shown he can shape defensive backs into NFL-caliber players, and Ramseys presence only reinforced that reputation. The retreat was designed to build leadership inside the locker room, and hearing from a player of Ramseys stature gave the Buffaloes a reminder of what Sanders can mean beyond the sideline, even if the bigger question for this group is how quickly that message turns into something steadier on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Suddenly Winning A Recruiting Fight Fans Know Well
Colorados 2027 recruiting work is starting to look a lot more like the kind of class that can change the conversation around the program. The Buffaloes are up to No. 35 nationally in the latest 247Sports team rankings, a clear step forward from where the 2026 group finished, and theyve done it with 19 verbal commitments already in the fold. Four of those pledges carry four-star status, a sign that Deion Sanders and his staff are not just filling numbers but landing players with real upside.
The bigger takeaway for Colorado is how often it has been able to stay in the fight for names that matter, even when the process does not go perfectly. The Buffs have taken some hits on the trail, but they have also answered with key commitments that keep the class in the Big 12s upper tier, according to national outlets. The next question is whether this momentum can hold through the rest of the cycle, because the difference between a good class and a program-shifting one is usually decided in the final stretch. [Read more 🡒]