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What To Know About New Colorado Buffaloes 'Mauler' Larry Johnson III

As fall camp winds down in Boulder, junior Larry Johnson III appears likely to win the Colorado Buffaloes' starting right tackle job. Get to know the Tennessee Volunteers transfer and former junior college standout ahead of his first season with the Buffs.
Jack Carlough|
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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BOULDER — Standing at 6-foot-7 and 350 pounds, Larry Johnson III has turned plenty of heads throughout fall camp and appears likely to win the Colorado Buffaloes' starting right tackle job.

Colorado's new-look offensive line is expected to feature four new starters, with left tackle Jordan Seaton being the lone returner. Coach Deion Sanders and his trio of offensive line coaches will likely feature a rotation of players on the inside, but Seaton and Johnson seemingly have the outside on lock.

Ahead of his first season in Boulder, get to know Colorado's projected starting right tackle:

Former Junior College Standout, Tennessee Volunteers Transfer

Know New Colorado Buffaloes Right Tackle Larry Johnson III Tennessee Volunteers Transfer Gunnar White Big 12 Football Boulder
Tennessee offensive linemen John Campbell Jr. (74) and Larry Johnson III (77) during UT's first spring football practice on Monday, March 18, 2024. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Johnson wasn't recruited heavily out of Jenkins High School in Savannah, Georgia, but was able to maximize an opportunity at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, becoming a four-star (per 247Sports) junior college transfer. From there, he landed with the Tennessee Volunteers and appeared in 15 games over two seasons in Knoxville.

Johnson was primarily working with Tennessee's first-team offense during spring camp before entering the transfer portal on April 21 and committing to Colorado only days later.

"Mauler" in the Run Game

Know New Colorado Buffaloes Right Tackle Larry Johnson III Tennessee Volunteers Transfer Gunnar White Big 12 Football Boulder
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Colorado offensive line coach Gunnar White spoke with the media following Monday's fall camp practice and shared some intriguing words on Johnson.

"He's a mauler," White said. "The goal is to run the ball, so we've got to have bodies like that with him and Kareem (Harden) and Zy (Crisler) and Xavier (Hill) and Jordan (Seaton). You name it, we're in a pretty good spot."

Co-offensive line coach George Hegamin, who played at 6-foot-7 and well over 300 pounds during his seven-year NFL career, was also asked about Johnson's massive presence on the offensive line.

"When I walk behind Larry, I know how people feel when they walk behind me," Hegamin said. "I told him for the first time, I said, 'Can I ask you a question?' I said, 'Do you know I finally get what people see when they're behind me?' He's that huge.

"The thing that I'm seeing from him on the field is that he's doing a really good job of learning the technique that he needs to achieve. Larry's a big guy, and he plays that way. But at the same time, he's smart and understands exactly what we're asking him to do."

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Xavier Hill Praises Larry Johnson III

Know New Colorado Buffaloes Right Tackle Larry Johnson III Tennessee Volunteers Transfer Gunnar White Big 12 Football Boulder
Memphis' Xavier Hill (71) celebrates after the team scored a touchdown during the game between Southern Methodist University and University of Memphis at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday, November 18, 2023. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Another new Colorado offensive lineman who previously played in the SEC, Memphis/LSU transfer Xavier Hill has been impressed by Johnson's work ethic.

"He's been very solid," Hill said of Johnson. "He watches a lot of film. He wants to be good. He always wants to fix the little mistakes he makes every day, and I see that as very good. Having somebody who wants to get better out there at tackle, I played that position as well, so I think he's going to do a tremendous job for us."

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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