Colorado is heading into fall camp with plenty of jobs still up for grabs, and a handful of players carrying more weight than the rest. With camp set to open next week in Colorado Springs, the Buffs have no shortage of competition ahead - but these six names have the clearest chance to change their standing in 2026.
At cornerback, RJ Johnson enters with a reputation that doesn’t quite match his production. The third-year Buff has earned respect in the locker room, but he still needs to show he can hold up on the field.
If he’s going to carve out a role behind projected starters Cree Thomas and Boo Carter, this is the stretch where it has to happen. Johnson missed eight games last season because of injury, and he knows the first priority is staying available.
"Being more healthy (is important)," said Johnson, who missed eight games due to injury last season. "The best ability is availability, so being able to stay on the field and taking care of what I need to do off the field as well."
Quarterback Julian Lewis is in a different kind of proving ground. The redshirt freshman is still waiting on the official starting job, and head coach Deion Sanders along with offensive coordinator Brennan Marion have stopped short of giving him a full endorsement. That leaves Lewis with a clear challenge in Marion’s Go-Go offense: show he can lead the group and run the offense at a high level.
On special teams, the spotlight shifts to Elliot Arnold. The redshirt freshman is lined up to take over kickoff and field goal duties after the departures of Alejajandro Mata and Josh McCormick.
Arnold, a former two-star prospect from Tennessee, didn’t play last season, but he put together a strong spring. Colorado also recently added Saddleback College transfer kicker Cadel Ayala, so the pressure won’t be light.
Up front, Quency Wiggins is trying to turn raw tools into real production. The converted defensive end is moving inside and arrives at camp with a chance to prove he can handle life as an interior defensive lineman. The talent is there; the question is whether it all starts clicking in a Colorado uniform.
Santana Hopper has a different kind of chip on his shoulder. Colorado’s defensive line has drawn plenty of skepticism, but Hopper’s résumé says he’s been productive wherever he’s gone.
He put up 10.5 TFLs at Tulane last season and was a First Team All-Sun Belt selection at Appalachian State in 2024, yet he still hasn’t gotten much trust from the outside. Dante’ Carter isn’t buying the doubt.
"Santana is a grown man. He has a purpose in this, and he plays like it," Carter said. "Every time he gets out there between those lines, you can tell that he's doing this for a reason… He's doing a hell of a job for us, and he's going to be one of the guys."
The final name on the list is Phillip Houston, and his case is as much about health as anything else. Colorado’s starting right tackle from the nine-win 2024 season is still in the program, and he’s entering his final year of eligibility after missing all of last season because of injury. The concerns are understandable, but the Buffs also know what he was before the setback.
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