Colorado Buffaloes' Kaidon Salter Shocking Rank In Big 12 Quarterback Rankings

The Colorado Buffaloes starting quarterback for the 2025 season will be Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter. Salter will be taking over for former Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders was named the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was elected in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.

The Sporting News released their Big 12 quarterback rankings for the 2025 college football season. Where do they have Salter ranked?

Kaidon Salter Ranked as No. 10 Quarterback in Big 12

Colorado Buffaloes' Kaidon Salter Underrated in Big 12 Quarterback Rankings? — Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) and running back Christian Sarem (48) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter is ranked as the 10th best quarterback in the Big 12 conference heading into the 2025 season. No. 1 is Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt. Here is The Sporting News’s complete list of the 16 projected starting quarterbacks in the Big 12.

1. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State Sun Devils

2. Josh Hoover, TCU Horned Frogs

3. Rocco Becht, Iowa State Cyclones

4. Jake Retzlaff, BYU Cougars

5. Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Bears

6. Avery Johnson, Kansas State Wildcats

7. Behren Morton, Texas Tech Red Raiders

8. Devon Dampier, Utah Utes

9. Jalon Daniels, Kansas Jayhawks

10. Kaidon Salter, Colorado Buffaloes

11. Noah Fifita, Arizona Wildcats

12. Brendan Sorsby, Cincinatti Bearcats

13. Conner Weigman, Houston Cougars

14. Cam Fancher, UCF Knights

15. Nicco Marchiol, West Virginia Mountaineers

16. Hauss Henny, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Is Salter underrated by being ranked in the bottom half of the conference?

Kaidon Salter Leads A New-Look Colorado Buffaloes Offensive Attack

When Kaidon Salter takes the field for the Buffaloes this season, it will be his fifth collegiate season. Salter previously played for the Liberty Flames from 2021 through 2024 before announcing he would be transferring to the Colorado Buffaloes to play for Deion Sanders.

Salter has played in 35 games, totaling 5,889 passing yards, 56 passing touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He is also dual-threat that has also had a lot of success running the ball. In his time at Liberty, Salter had 2,006 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.

The Buffaloes offense will look completely different than how it did in 2023 and 2024 with Shedeur Sanders. Sanders last season threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns. Salter on the other hand threw for just 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Flames in 2024.

Expect to see Colorado get creative with option and triple option plays with Salter at quarterback.

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Sam Leavitt Ranked as No. 1 Quarterback in Big 12

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt is ranked as the top Big 12 quarterback in 2025. Leavitt transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State prior to the 2024 season and quickly became a star in Tempe.

Leavitt led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff and a Big 12 conference title in 2024. He threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for another 443 yards on the ground and five rushing touchdowns.

With Leavitt under center again, Arizona State is one of the favorites to bring home the 2025 Big 12 title.