Watching Colorado’s fall camp always brings the same kind of buzz: somewhere in the pile of familiar names, somebody usually pops. Last season, that was offensive lineman Yahya Attia, linebacker Jeremiah Brown and defensive end London Merritt. For 2026, the Buffs have another group that could force its way into the conversation.
And if Colorado is going to make real noise, it may come from players who aren’t the first names people circle.
Wide receiver Quentin Gibson fits that bill. He’ll be battling in a crowded receiver room, but his skill set lines up neatly with new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s Go-Go system.
Colorado should find ways to get him the ball in space and let his speed and elusivity do the heavy lifting. As a true freshman last season, Gibson caught 15 passes for 71 yards and also handled 25 kickoffs for 597 yards.
Ideally, the Buffs will keep him and Tennessee transfer Boo Carter involved on kick returns and punts this fall.
Another name to watch is defensive lineman Quency Wiggins. Colorado needs one or two interior defenders to emerge, and Wiggins has the raw traits to become that guy.
He showed some encouraging flashes on the inside last season, and if he shows up to fall camp at 300-plus pounds, he could become the defense’s X-factor up front. Deion Sanders didn’t hide the upside last year, saying, "Quency has all the physical attributes," head coach Deion Sanders said last year.
"He's just got to put it together and turn in solid performances at practice daily so it becomes a habit... But, he looks like Tarzan and we want him to play like Tarzan."
Wiggins finished with nine tackles, including one TFL, and his time at multiple spots along the line could help him finally break through.
DeKalon Taylor is another player built to fit Marion’s offense. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound running back bounced back from an injury-shortened 2025 season and turned in several strong runs during spring camp, including an approximately 70-yard touchdown.
Running backs coach Johnnie Mack had plenty of praise for him, saying, "He's already a leader for us," running backs coach Johnnie Mack said of Taylor. "He's just a student of the game.
That guy loves football. I have to tell him to go home.
I wish I could have a team full of DT's. If we had a team full of DTs, we'd win a national championship."
Then there’s defensive back Jaydan Hardy, whose exact role is still unsettled. With Naeten Mitchell and Randon Fontenette also standing out at safety, Hardy may need to find his lane elsewhere, possibly at nickelback if he can add some size.
At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, he has the kind of versatility that can keep him in the mix. Hardy believes the mental side of the position is where he can separate, saying, "I'm a smart player, in my opinion," Hardy said.
"I like to analyze stuff with personnel, down and distance. Any good player, you've got to be focused on stuff like that.
Also, just understanding splits and what guys are good at, that's how you take your game to the next level. By watching that film, understanding, 'Okay, he lines up here to do this and stuff like that.'
That's where my game and my skills is most highlighted in this defense."
Those are the kinds of players Colorado will need to rise if the Buffs are going to get where they want to go in 2026.
In Other News...
Kaidon Salter's Next Move Has Buffs Fans Revisiting His Colorado Chapter
Kaidon Salters path has taken another turn, this time north of the border after the former Colorado quarterback went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the BC Lions. Salter spent the preseason in a backup role, but the move still keeps him in the pro conversation and gives Buffaloes fans a fresh reason to look back on a brief Colorado chapter that came after his time at Liberty.
What makes the story linger is how quietly that chapter seems to have closed from Colorados side, especially after Salters earlier NFL minicamp opportunity with the Titans. His college journey also underscores how much his profile changed along the way, with the Big 12 schedule at Colorado offering a tougher week-to-week stage than he had at Liberty before he landed in the CFL. [Read more 🡒]
What Colorado Has Become Under Deion Is Turning Heads Everywhere
Colorados rise under Deion Sanders has become about more than wins and losses. Since Sanders took over in 2023, the program has drawn sold-out home crowds and a wave of attention that has helped push the Buffaloes into a different financial tier, with The Athletic valuing Colorado football at $368 million. That places the school No. 44 nationally and No. 7 in the Big 12, a reminder of how quickly the programs profile has changed.
The bigger question now is whether that momentum can outlast the stars who helped fuel it. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter were central to the surge in national buzz, with both becoming major faces of the program before moving on to the NFL, and Colorado is left trying to show that the interest around Boulder was never only about two names. What comes next for the Buffaloes will say plenty about whether Sanders built a short-term spectacle or something with staying power. [Read more 🡒]