The Five Best Newcomers for the Colorado Buffaloes Next Season

Five newcomers from the recruiting trail and transfer portal set to have the biggest impact on the Colorado Buffaloes in 2026.

Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter (23) runs during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 31, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes brought in 61 new players this offseason in one of the largest roster overhauls in college football.

Here’s a look at their top five newcomers from the recruiting trail and transfer portal who will impact the team in a major way in 2026.

5. Linebacker Carson Crawford

Carthage's Carson Crawford makes a catch during the 4A DII UIL Texas State Football Championship game against Waco La Vega on Friday, December 20, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Crawford was Colorado’s top-ranked recruit in their 2026 class. He is listed as a four-star linebacker by 247Sports, the No. 10 linebacker in the country and the 32nd-best player from the state of Texas.

He played his high school ball at Carthage High School in Carthage, Texas. As a senior, he tallied 121 total tackles, 73 of which were unassisted and 20 of which were for loss.

Colorado struggled to find reliable linebackers on the 2025 roster, and with a new unit coming in, Crawford will be right in the mix for a starting job. Even if he doesn’t lock it down this year, though, he’s sure to secure the position for the foreseeable future in Boulder.

4. Linebacker Liona Lefau

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While Crawford will be fighting against his inexperience to try and make the starting lineup, that will not be the case for Lefau, who transferred to the Buffaloes from the Texas Longhorns during the offseason.

247Sports listed Lefau as a four-star transfer prospect, and for good reason. He was a meaningful contributor on a stout Longhorn defense, tallying 68 total tackles, 26 of which were unassisted, three pass breakups and a sack.

The 6-1, 227-pound senior will likely be a leader of the linebacker room and help Crawford in his development while being a cornerstone of the defense in his own right.

3. Cornerback Mojo Williams Jr.

🔥 Mo Getting Recognition. Danny High Praise 💛🦬

Mo : "I feel like I progressed really well. Prepared the right way. I'm thankful"

Danny : "He's one of the guys you gotta know where he's at on field. If you line up against him you gotta come with a plan"

🔄 @moewill0 https://t.co/DASFf8vUHv pic.twitter.com/tPFx64P02i

— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) April 11, 2026

Williams burst onto the scene in Colorado’s spring game, playing stout coverage throughout the contest and hauling in its only interception.

A fellow freshman in Crawford’s class, he wasn’t as highly touted out of high school as the 6-3 linebacker. Rather, Williams was a three-star recruit out of Edna Karr High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he won a state championship with the team as a junior.

Williams stands 5-11 and weighs 170 pounds, but played above expectations in the spring game. Despite his youth, he doesn’t back down from competition, and if his play in press-man coverage was any indication of how he’ll perform this season, expect him to emerge early as a contributor in the Buffs’ secondary.

2. Safety Boo Carter

Sep 6, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Boo Carter (23) runs with the ball against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

Carter was arguably Colorado’s most eye-popping addition in the transfer portal, as he was their highest-rated newcomer by most major sites. 247Sports listed him as a four-star transfer prospect and the No. 4 safety in the class.

Carter is entering his junior season, so there is a solid chance the Buffaloes get two season’s out of their new star. He only played eight games at Tennessee in 2025 before a dispute led to him entering the transfer portal early, but in that time, he impressed.

He tallied 25 total tackles, 16 of which were unassisted, along with a sack and three forced fumbles.

His hard-hitting nature jumps off the screen on film, and if the Buffaloes can maintain a good environment for Carter, he could be a multi-season star on their defense.

1. Wide Receiver Danny Scudero

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

Scudero flew under the radar in the transfer portal this offseason despite leading the nation with 1,297 receiving yards as a San Jose State Spartan in 2025.

Scudero is a speedy, 5-9, 174-pound receiver who has the agility and route-running ability to be effective in the slot while also being able to torch most cornerbacks on deep routes. Despite his versatility and production, he was only a three-star transfer portal prospect.

He showed what other teams missed in Colorado’s spring game, dicing up the Buffaloes’ secondary and recording the game’s only receiving touchdown. He’s been a favorite of Coach Prime due to his play and his character, and he will likely use those traits to lead a new-look CU offense in 2026.

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