Colorado Buffaloes NIL Rankings Paint Intriguing Picture

The Colorado Buffaloes have several players with significant name, image and likeness (NIL) valuations heading into the 2026 college football season, a necessity when it comes to competing in the modern era of college football.

According to The NIL Standard, Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis leads the team with an estimated value of $1.635 million followed by offensive linemen Bo Hughley and Larry Johnson III. While these figures are estimates rather than confirmed earnings, they highlight the market value of some of Colorado's top players and their importance to Deion Sanders' roster.

Julian Lewis

As one of the most important positions in college football, quarterback naturally attracts significant attention, and especially heading into this season, Lewis' potential helped his valuation.

Lewis has multiple NIL endorsement deals with national brands which all have varying expectations and requirements for him.

-Taco Bell
-Gym Weed
-Starbucks
-Leaf Trading Cards
-Jaxxon
-Alo Yoga
-Cactus Jack

In his deal with Gym Weed specifically, he has starred in social media campaigns and has stake in the company as well.

Lewis entered Colorado as a highly regarded quarterback prospect as he began his collegiate career in 2025. During his freshman season, he appeared in four games for the Buffaloes and made two starts, throwing for 589 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

Now entering his second season, Lewis has an opportunity to continue developing and establish himself as a consistent presence in Colorado's offense.

Through Colorado's first four games of the 2026 season, Lewis completed 61 of 95 passes for 733 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. One of his best performances came against Weber State, when he threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns in a 52-21 victory. Despite being demoted as the Buffaloes starting quarterback, his estimated NIL value reflects the attention surrounding his potential and the notoriety he has accumulated so far.

Bo Hughley

Offensive lineman Bo Hughley ranks second on Colorado's roster per The NIL Standard's valuation list with an estimated value of $1,027,269. Hughley was No. 382 in the transfer portal when he made the move to Colorado from Georgia.

During the 2025 season, the 6-foot-7 lineman appeared in 10 games for Georgia and made two starts therefore brought experience from one of college football's top programs. Hughley's experience had the potential to be valuable as Colorado has been aiming to strengthen its offensive line. The unit plays a major role in protecting their quarterback, helping the offense sustain drives.

Through the first five games of the 2026 season, Hughley has yet to have any statistics.

His estimated NIL value places him among Colorado's most highly valued players, but his impact will ultimately depend on his ability to contribute to a more reliable offensive line.

Larry Johnson III

Offensive lineman Larry Johnson III rounds out Colorado's top three with an estimated NIL value of $968,000.

Colorado has faced challenges establishing consistency on offense early in the season, which has made the offensive line an important area to monitor. Protecting the quarterback and creating opportunities for the run game will be priorities as the Buffaloes work to improve their results.

Johnson's estimated valuation is just $59,269 below Hughley's, placing the two offensive linemen relatively close in the rankings. Much like Hughley, Johnson has yet to have any statistics this season yet still remains as the third highest valued NIL on the team.

His ability to compete for playing time and contribute to the offensive line could make him a valuable piece of the team's plans. As the season continues, the performance of Johnson and the rest of the offensive front will help determine whether Colorado can become more consistent on offense.

Beyond the top three, Colorado wide receiver Danny Scudero has an estimated NIL value of $931,700, per The NIL Standard.

He recorded five receptions for 24 yards and added 14 rushing yards in Colorado's first two games, although he did not appear in the team's next three games through Oct. 3 due to injury. Buffaloes defensive tackle Santana Hopper, valued at $912,354, has made a more noticeable impact on the defensive front. Through Colorado's game against Texas Tech, Hopper recorded 10 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss, and five quarterback hurries in that matchup alone.

Scudero and Hopper bring up an interesting point within the topic of NIL because the playing time doesn’t necessarily correlate with the valuation. It’s a common theme around college football and will keep showing up as programs and the NCAA continue to navigate this new world.

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