Biggest Breakout Candidate in Colorado's Defensive End Room

Following a season where the Colorado Buffaloes struggled to get after the quarterback and stop the run, coach Deion Sanders and the coaching staff opted to make several changes up front and specifically on the edge of the defensive line.

As Colorado’s defense prepares for next season, there is one defensive end in particular who has the opportunity to have a breakout season for the Buffaloes and become a key piece of what Colorado hopes to be a much better showing in 2026.

Vili Taufatofua

On the edge, one player who could break out is Vili Taufatofua, who transfers in from San Jose State. In his time with San Jose State, Taufatofua found great production and looks to be even better in 2026.

In his 2025 campaign with the Spartans, Taufatofua recorded 34 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. Taufatofua's production could help Colorado significantly next season, with the struggles that they had during 2025.

During 2025, Colorado significantly struggled to stop opposing rushing attacks as well as getting after opposing quarterbacks. Last season, Colorado allowed 222.5 rush yards per game, which ranked 135th in the nation. The Buffaloes also struggled to put pressure on the quarterback as they only recorded 13 sacks, which ranked 129th in the nation.

Standing at 6-3 and 260 pounds, Taufatofua has the frame to be able to contribute against the run as well as add value as a pass rusher. Taufatofua also brings a solid amount of experience with three previous seasons at the Division 1 level, which includes two with Utah from 2023 to 2024 and one with San Jose State in 2025.

Taufatofua’s experience, in addition to his production, are factors that could help him to significantly improve Colorado’s defensive line and potentially the defense as a whole. If Taufatofua can be even more productive in 2026 in generating negative plays, he has the potential to be one of Colorado’s best additions from the transfer portal on the entire roster.

Defensive End Depth

In addition to Taufatofua, the Buffaloes also added defensive ends Immanuel Ezeogu, Toby Anene, Balansama Kamara, Lamont Lester Jr., and Yamil Talib through the transfer portal. Returning from last year’s roster are Kylan Salter, who made the change from linebacker to edge, and Quency Wiggins, who could play a blend of defensive end and defensive tackle.

Overall, the Buffaloes have done a solid job, adding depth to the defensive line across the board, but specifically in the defensive end room. Having several players who can get after the quarterback and put heavy pressure on him is crucial. Last year, that was something that Colorado struggled to do, and clearly, Coach Prime and the rest of the coaching staff knew they needed significant improvement in that area.

While Taufatofua has a significant amount of competition for reps, his production, experience, and size should help him to compete heavily for reps and potentially become a starter heading into next season.

Vili Taufatofua’s Keys To A Breakout Season

Heading into next season, Taufatofua has a great opportunity to be an impact player for the Buffaloes. There are two keys for Taufatofua breaking out in 2026, which include his football IQ and the potential for positional versatility.

As far as Taufatofua’s football IQ, he has talked about his ability to understand the game throughout his career, which has been significantly helped by the amount of experience he has at this level. Having a player on the defensive line who could communicate what he sees and help the front seven to be aligned properly is something that could be very valuable for Chris Marve as he enters his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Buffaloes.

Taufatofua also brings an opportunity for creativity on the defensive front. With his frame, Taufatofua gives Marve the creativity to line him up all across the field, especially in obvious passing situations. In the obvious passing situations, Taufatofua could move inside and get a favorable matchup against guards, where he can use his speed and power to his advantage and put heavy pressure on the quarterback.

With that versatility, he could become a player that Marve can play in almost any situation and become a heavy impact player for Colorado.

As Taufatofua heads into next season, his experience, positional versatility, football IQ, and previous production are all factors that point to him being someone who could have a breakout season for Colorado in a very competitive Big 12 conference and allow them to be a much-improved defensive unit in 2026.

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