Five Colorado Buffaloes Prospects Most Ready for the NFL Draft

There are five prospects that stand out above the rest for Colorado ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the start of the spring game at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Despite most Colorado Buffaloes draft prospects currently being on the outside looking in for most expert mock drafts, there are still a few who best fit the mold of an NFL player.

Here’s a look at the five most NFL-ready draft prospects for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2026.

Guard Xavier Hill

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Micah Welch (29) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Xavier Hill (71) in the second half against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Hill is the most NFL-ready prospect for the Buffs, and one of the few with a real chance to hear his name called in the NFL Draft.

He impressed at Colorado's Pro Day, recording a 4.99-second 40-yard dash, 30-inch vertical jump, a 4.89-second shuttle drill and 26 bench press reps. 

The expectation is that he would likely remain a guard at the next level, with a chance to move to center if a team is confident he can make the transition. His physical traits are eye-catching, but his production on the field backs them up. 

He allowed just three sacks in 703 snaps in 2025 and received the highest Pro Football Focus grade out of all Big 12 guards.

Cornerback Preston Hodge

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback Preston Hodge (4) reacts to a turnover in the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After the Dallas Cowboys hosted Hodge for a pre-draft visit, speculation has been raised that they may select Hodge late in the NFL Draft. While Hodge left some room for improvement in his on-field production, he showed flashes of being a corner who can play at the next level.

He recorded 55 total tackles, 40 of which were unassisted, along with an interception and 13 pass breakups.

At his Pro Day, Hodge posted a 4.56-second 40-yard dash, a 32-inch vertical jump, a 4.27-second shuttle drill and 14 bench press reps.

Center Zarian McGill

2026 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Zarian McGill, OC, Colorado @Zarian255026215 #NFLDraft https://t.co/Hzc4jzKqOO pic.twitter.com/iklJENTMfR

— Draft Diamonds ™️ (@DraftDiamonds) April 10, 2026

Ahead of Colorado’s Pro Day, McGill may have been looked at as the most NFL-ready prospect the Buffs had. However, a lackluster performance at the showcase knocked those praises down a peg.

But during the 2025 season, McGill started all 12 games for the Buffaloes at center, playing 774 snaps, more than any other player on the offense. He only allowed one sack in that time as was graded by Pro Football Focus as the third-best center in the Big 12.

However, at his Pro Day, he posted just a 19.5-inch vertical jump, 22 reps on the bench press and a 7-11 broad jump while skipping all other tests.

Edge rusher Arden Walker

Colorado's Arden Walker celebrates after a sack against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Walker possesses all of the physical traits of an NFL pass rusher, standing 6-2, 250 pounds. 

He didn’t get to the quarterback as much as he would’ve liked in 2025, though. He recorded just 2.5 sacks but racked up a respectable 44 tackles, 24 of which were unassisted. He recorded one pass breakup as well, displaying his leaping ability to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage.

At his Pro Day, Walker posted a 4.76-second 40-yard dash, a 31-inch vertical jump, a 4.40-second shuttle drill and 22 reps on the bench press.

Wide receiver Sincere Brown

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Sincere Brown (9) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Similar to Hill, Brown boosted his stock exponentially at his Pro Day. He was somewhat of an afterthought after not contributing much during the regular season, but off of physical traits, he may be able to find his way onto an NFL roster.

During the season, Brown recorded just 376 yards and two touchdowns on 22 receptions. That said, 120 of his yards and one of his touchdowns came in Colorado’s Week 2 matchup against the Delaware Blue Hens.

But at his Pro Day, Brown turned heads with a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. It was the best among the Buffs, and would’ve been the 11th-best among receivers at the NFL Combine. On top of that, he posted a 33.5-inch vertical jump, a 4.46-second shuttle drill and 10 reps on the bench press.

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