Three Colorado Buffaloes Transfers Poised for Breakout Roles

Following the 2026 NFL Draft, the Colorado Buffaloes are ready to look ahead to next season, where they hope to make a significant improvement from their 3-9 record in 2025.

In order to make that jump, Colorado Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes made significant additions to the roster, and many were through the transfer portal to find players who could help contribute right away.

With that in mind, below are three transfers who might play the biggest roles for Colorado in 2026.

Three Colorado Transfers Who Will Play Biggest Roles 2026 Following NFL Draft Danny Scudero Gideon Lampron Demetrius Hunter — Nov 1, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Danny Scudero (10) runs in for the touchdown after the catch against the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine during the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

Receiver Danny Scudero

One of the biggest additions the Buffaloes made was adding San Jose State wide receiver Danny Scudero to the offense after a breakout season.

During the 2025 season, Scudero led the nation in receiving after recording 88 receptions for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns. No matter what coverage the defenses ran, Scudero found a way to get open and be the most productive receiver in the country.

The addition of Scudero comes after Colorado brought in Brennan Marion to be the next offensive coordinator. Marion focuses on getting the ball to his playmakers in space and using speed to his advantage against opposing defenses.

So far through spring practices and the spring game, it seems Scudero has used his skill set and speed to assert himself as the top weapon for redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who projects as the starter next season.

The connection Scudero has with Lewis, his fit in Marion’s offense, and his talent are all signs that point to Scudero having a great 2026 season and once again being one of the best receivers in the nation.

Linebacker Gideon Lampron

After the 2025 season, one thing became very clear for the Colorado defense: they had to improve their rush defense. Last season, the Buffaloes allowed 222.5 rush yards per game, which ranked 135th in the nation.

The inability to stop the run was a huge problem, and that is why Colorado added lots of talent in the front seven on defense.

At linebacker, Coach Prime recruited Gideon Lampron, who was one of the most productive at his position at Bowling Green during the 2025 season and could make a major impact for the Buffaloes defense next season.

During his 2025 campaign, Lampron recorded 119 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one pass breakup. Regardless of who his opponent was, Lampron made disruptive plays against opposing offenses, which showed up in a big way on the stat sheet.

Lampron’s athleticism and speed, in addition to his instincts, should help him to be just as productive next season and help Colorado significantly improve the rush defense and make plays over the field against opposing pass attacks.

Offensive Lineman Demetrius Hunter

During Coach Prime’s time with Colorado, one of the biggest weaknesses has been the inconsistency across the offensive line in the pass game and the run game.

Last season, the Buffaloes struggled specifically to protect the quarterback as they allowed 38 sacks, which was 125th in the nation. Colorado could also improve their ability to run the ball after ranking 104th in the nation and averaging 125.58 rush yards per game.

Taking that into consideration, Coach Sanders opted to address his offensive line, and one of the bigger additions up front was center Demetrius Hunter, who transfers over from Houston.

With the Cougars, Hunter was very reliable, allowing very limited pressure on the quarterback and consistently creating open lanes for the Houston running backs in the run game.

Hunter’s reliability in the run game and protecting quarterbacks in the pass game could not only help Colorado’s offensive line gain confidence but also give Lewis a great source of confidence in his first year leading the offense.

As the center, Hunter can help make all the calls to pick up blitzes and correct blocking assignments so that Lewis can focus on the coverage and process Marion’s offense.

Hunter’s impact will not necessarily be felt on the stat sheet, but his ability to protect Lewis and create rush lanes for the Buffaloes backs should help Colorado to have a much more consistent offense in 2026, which could lead to a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance.

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