Colorado Buffaloes Stock Report After Georgia Tech Win: Who's Up, Who's Down

Colorado coach Deion Sanders gave the best assessment of the Buffaloes' report. After the 14-13 win at Georgia Tech, he talked about trust. Some players had it while others were still earning it.

“The other guys are new to me, so it takes a minute for me to build that trust and that understanding of what they got,” Sanders said. “And several of them played. Shoot, they played some good football today. Physical, elusive.”

Atlanta moved that process along quickly. Colorado defensive lineman Lamont Lester Jr. left with three sacks. Running back JaQuail Smith earned 10 carries. Colorado defensive back Boo Carter ended the game with a blocked kick. Colorado wide receiver Danny Scudero, defensive back Cree Thomas, and Kicker Daniel Gerlach left with more to sharpen up before the next game.

Colorado Buffaloes Boo Carter Blocked Field Goal Fumble Recovery Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Week 1 Atlanta 2026 — Colorado defensive back Boo Carter recovered a first-quarter fumble and blocked Georgia Tech's potential game-winning field goal. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A stock report after one game is not, in an actual sense, a depth chart. Instead, it is where the arrow points before Colorado’s home opener against Weber State. So, which Buffaloes' stock is trending up, and which players are trending in the opposite direction?

Rising: Lamont Lester Jr.

The 6-2, 230-pound defensive lineman from Monmouth entered Colorado as an interesting piece on the rebuild front. Lester was the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025 after recording 9.5 sacks, so the production was there.

He immediately showed the ‘ability’ could follow him wherever and whenever. Lester finished his Buffaloes debut with three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, accounting for all of Colorado's sacks. Colorado defensive coordinator Chris Marve now has more than an intriguing transfer. He has a pass rusher who changed a Power Four game.

Rising: JaQuail Smith

Colorado running back JaQuail Smith was easy to overlook in a backfield featuring fellow backs Damian Henderson II, Micah Welch and DeKalon Taylor. The Sacramento State transfer changed that with 10 carries for 42 yards in Atlanta.

He rushed for 511 yards in eight games as a freshman in 2025 and averaged 6.7 yards per carry. Week 1 showed that Colorado offensive coordinator Brennan Marion can go deeper into the rotation without changing the offense. 10 carries in a one-point road game says a lot about the trust Smith has earned.

Colorado Buffaloes Running Back JaQuail Smith Sacramento State Transfer Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Week 1 — Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Jaquail Smith (23) reacts against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Rising: Boo Carter

Colorado defensive back Boo Carter gave the Buffs two game-changing plays. The Tennessee transfer recovered a first-quarter fumble at the Georgia Tech 26, then blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

His two tackles barely do justice to the performance he put up that night. Colorado brought Carter in because he can affect games in different ways, and he did exactly that on defense and special teams.

Falling: Danny Scudero

Colorado wide receiver Danny Scudero arrived with probably the strongest receiving resume on the roster. The San José State transfer led the nation with 1,297 receiving yards in 2025 while catching 88 passes and scoring 10 touchdowns.

His Colorado debut produced four catches for 12 yards. Scudero had only recently returned from a lower-body injury, and Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis threw for 124 yards overall. This is not a verdict.

Still, Colorado added Scudero to become a featured target. Four catches that produced three yards apiece leave room for a much bigger Week 2.

Falling: Cree Thomas

Colorado defensive back Cree Thomas entered Week 1 with momentum from fall camp. The Notre Dame transfer had played only three college games before arriving in Boulder, but he earned an important role in Colorado’s secondary.

Thomas finished with six tackles against Georgia Tech, but his 15-yard face mask on third and 3 handed the Yellow Jackets an automatic first down. He made a touchdown-saving tackle after a 42-yard completion on Georgia Tech’s final drive, but the opener was not as clean as his camp suggested it might be.

Colorado defensive back Cree Thomas finished with six tackles in his first game after transferring from Notre Dame. — Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado defensive back Cree Thomas speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Falling: Daniel Gerlach

Colorado kicker Daniel Gerlach handled the placekicking duties and made both extra points, including the one that put the Buffaloes ahead 14-13. But his only field goal attempt, from 38 yards, was blocked. One of his kickoffs was also returned 100 yards for Georgia Tech’s only touchdown.

Neither play belongs entirely to the kicker. Protection failed on one and coverage failed on the other. The stock dip is about the operation around Gerlach as much as Gerlach himself.

Sanders, however, did not let Carter’s final block erase the earlier mistakes.

“A couple special team blunders, but then we come out strong on special teams to make it happen,” Sanders said. “So, it don’t wash it. We still are not satisfied with that. But I’m happy overall with the victory.”

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