One Colorado Buffaloes Position That Has Become Deion Sanders’ Recruiting Blueprint

Coach Deion Sanders called out the leadership of one position group on Colorado’s roster room and said the Buffaloes are recruiting for more players with the same traits

Deion Sanders said Colorado is recruiting for the leadership traits already showing up in its veteran linebacker room. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coaches praise position groups every week, but Colorado coach Deion Sanders gave a more revealing answer Tuesday during his weekly press conference when he was asked what he has seen from his linebackers through two games.

“They’re not just valuable young men; they’re leaders on this team. Those guys are all of that,” Sanders said. “We’re looking for those types of guys right now in recruiting.”

Sep 20, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Louisville Cardinals running back Keyjuan Brown (22) runs the ball against Bowling Green Falcons linebacker Gideon Lampron (4) during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The recruiting part gave the answer weight. Sanders tied the traits he values in Colorado’s veteran linebackers directly to the kind of players he wants the staff to find next. For a roster rebuilt heavily through the transfer portal, that honestly says a lot than another compliment about size or speed.

Gideon Lampron introduced himself on an airplane

Colorado linebacker Gideon Lampron’s route to Boulder fits the profile Sanders described. Shortly after the transfer portal opened, Lampron boarded a Dallas to Cleveland flight and noticed Sanders, who was also traveling to see his son.

Sanders was seated in first class, and Lampron was farther back, which left only a brief chance to introduce himself. Lampron used it; Sanders asked his staff to check the linebacker’s film, and the conversation quickly turned into a path to Colorado.

Lampron was lightly recruited out of Keystone High School in LaGrange, Ohio. At Dayton, he recorded 27.5 tackles for loss across three seasons and earned first-team FCS All-America honors in 2024. He then moved to Bowling Green, where he became a team captain under coach Eddie George.

“Being around greatness, it’s definitely something younger athletes like me should chase,” Lampron said in August. “I’ve been fortunate enough for my two head coaches to be some of the greatest football players ever.”

Liona Lefau brought 42 games and 22 starts at Texas into Colorado’s veteran linebacker room. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Tyler Martinez and Liona Lefau arrived from opposite ends

Colorado linebacker Tyler Martinez also had no Division I offers out of Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque. He began at New Mexico Military Institute, recorded a team-high 83 tackles in 2022, and earned his way to New Mexico State. By 2025, the Aggies had voted him a team captain.

Buffaloes linebacker Liona Lefau came from a different path. He played 42 games and made 22 starts over three seasons at Texas, bringing experience from one of the country’s biggest programs to Boulder.

The common thread here is the experience and the trust rather than one recruiting path. Lampron and Martinez were captains at their previous stops, while Lefau had already started 22 games at Texas. Sanders now has all three in a room he is using as a recruiting reference point.

Sanders’ summer description of Lampron feels even more relevant now.

“Gideon is not just a dawg. He’s a bona fide leader. He’s a playmaker,” Sanders said. “He’s a guy who loves to practice, loves the game, shows affection to his teammates.”

All three form the veteran core of Colorado defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s linebacker room, and Lampron and Lefau are both on the 2026 Butkus Award preseason watch list.

Sep 12, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Weber State Wildcats running back Omar Shah (0) is tacked by Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Jah Jah Boyd (15) and linebacker Tyler Martinez (35) in the first quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Deion Sanders wants more seasoning from younger linebackers

The same Tuesday press conference also showed where Sanders sees the gap. He said the younger players in the room need a little more “seasoning” before he is ready to trust them with bigger roles.

Colorado freshman linebackers Carson Crawford and Rodney Colton Jr. are among the younger players developing behind that veteran group. Their roles may grow, but Sanders’ comment makes clear that trust is part of the timetable.

That does not say much about their long-term value, though. It says more about how much Sanders trusts the veterans in front of them right now.

“He said, ‘Everyone in your life is there for a season or a reason. You’ve got to decide what they’re there for,’” Lampron recounted.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.