Colorado’s NIL picture says plenty about where the Buffaloes are heading into 2026, and it starts with quarterback Julian Lewis.
Per The NIL Standard, Lewis carries the highest estimated value on the roster at $1.635 million, with offensive linemen Bo Hughley and Larry Johnson III next in line. The numbers are estimates, not confirmed earnings, but they offer a clear look at which Colorado players have the most market pull and how Deion Sanders’ roster is being priced in the modern college football landscape.
Lewis’ value fits the position he plays. Quarterbacks always draw the biggest spotlight, and Lewis has only added to that attention with a growing list of endorsement deals. His national brand partnerships include Taco Bell, Gym Weed, Starbucks, Leaf Trading Cards, Jaxxon, Alo Yoga and Cactus Jack.
His agreement with Gym Weed goes a step further. Lewis has appeared in social media campaigns for the company and also holds a stake in it.
Colorado brought Lewis in as a highly regarded quarterback prospect when he began his college career in 2025. As a freshman, he played in four games and made two starts, finishing with 589 passing yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Now in his second season, Lewis has more room to grow into the role and become a steady presence in the offense. Through Colorado’s first four games of the 2026 season, he has completed 61 of 95 passes for 733 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions.
One of his top outings came against Weber State, when he threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-21 win. Even though he has been demoted from the starting job, his estimated NIL value still reflects the buzz around his potential and the name recognition he has already built.
Hughley checks in second on the Buffaloes’ valuation list at an estimated $1,027,269. He entered Colorado from Georgia as the No. 382 player in the transfer portal, and his background includes real game experience from a major program. In 2025, the 6-foot-7 lineman played in 10 games for Georgia and started two.
Colorado has been looking for more stability up front, which makes Hughley’s presence especially notable. A stronger offensive line can do two big things for this team: keep the quarterback upright and help the run game find some rhythm.
So far in 2026, Hughley has not posted any statistics.
Johnson sits just behind him at No. 3 with an estimated NIL value of $968,000. The gap between the two linemen is only $59,269, which puts them in a tight race near the top of the board. Like Hughley, Johnson has not recorded any statistics this season, but he remains one of the program’s most valuable players in NIL terms.
His value is tied to what he can still become for Colorado. If he earns playing time and helps stabilize the offensive front, he could become a bigger piece of the Buffaloes’ plans as the season goes on.
The next two names on the list show how NIL value and on-field usage do not always line up. Wide receiver Danny Scudero is estimated at $931,700. He caught five passes for 24 yards and added 14 rushing yards in Colorado’s first two games, then did not play in the next three games through Oct. 3 because of injury.
Defensive tackle Santana Hopper is valued at $912,354, and his production has shown up more clearly on the field. Against Texas Tech, Hopper put together a big stat line with 10 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries.
That contrast between Scudero and Hopper drives home one of the more interesting parts of the NIL conversation: value doesn’t always track neatly with playing time. It’s a pattern college football keeps seeing as programs and the NCAA keep sorting through the new reality.
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