The Most Slept on Colorado Buffaloes Freshman

The Colorado Buffaloes are transfer portal heavy once again, but this incoming freshman looks ready to turn heads this fall.

Deion Sanders walks the sidelines as the Colorado plays Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium. | Joe Rondone / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Colorado Buffaloes once again built a roster relying on veterans from the college football landscape. But not every transfer coming via another collegiate university are expected to start right away.

Colorado reeled in 14 spring enrollees for 2026 as part of the nation's No. 55 ranked recruiting class. Some jumping from the high school ranks already have earned snaps during spring football practices.

But here's one being slept on, who's fully capable of moving up the roster with further development.

Defensive Lineman Josiah Manu Is One to Watch at Colorado

Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders celebrates a touchdown with his players in the fourth quarter against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The 2026 signing, Manu is a local find for coach Deion Sanders, former defensive line coach Domata Peko and the rest of the Buffaloes coaching staff as he hails from nearby Loveland.

The 6-foot-5, 295-pounder brings the mountain toughness CU covets. He wins his trench battles at a high rate.

Manu swiftly loops around guards or centers with rare short area quickness for a defender his size. He leaves behind destruction in the backfield afterward. His quickness even allowed him to get away with resorting to an arsenal of hand moves to evade blockers.

He typically turns to a swim move or straight bull rush, though, to slip through blocks. But there's another advantage Manu brings over to Boulder.

Josiah Manu Knows How Offensive Linemen Think

Oct 29, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes offensive lineman Austin Johnson (64) lines up across from the Arizona State Sun Devils in the third quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Thompson Valley High School allowed Manu to play both ways. He delivered equal obliteration as a run blocker.

Yet that element hands him an additional edge in fighting for playing time this fall for these reasons.

Manu will know how offensive linemen will think, particularly interior blockers. He'll identify how they attack with their hands, when they're delivering a pull block, plus their pass protections. He can pick up on their blocking schemes too given his background in the other trenches.

Manu can enter the room and play the cerebral game along the line of scrimmage. He can pick up on when offensive linemen are aiming to go downhill or set up a pass blocking wall pre-snap.

The Colorado freshman already has another advantage in enrolling early, allowing him to further dive into scrutinizing opposing blockers and how to launch his counterattacks against them for the future.

Can Josiah Manu Start Immediately at Colorado?

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Diore Hubbard (20) runs the ball as he’s tackled by Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Jeremiah Brown (42) and Colorado Buffaloes defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis (96) during the first quarter at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Lots of positions are still up for grabs this coming season in Boulder. Defense will feature the most watched battles as Colorado aims to reignite that side of the ball.

That means Manu should make some noise in the trenches and gun for one of the interior defensive line spots.

Granted, this won't be an easy climb for Manu. Buffs defensive lineman Ezra Christensen is a prized newcomer via the portal (New Mexico State and Fresno State) and presents the first snap explosion to make this defensive line group quicker. Tulane transfer Santana Hopper is one more highly coveted newcomer via the portal who's nearly as quick as Christensen.

But Colorado doesn't want to be pushed around by the likes of Texas Tech, BYU, Arizona State, or even non-conference foes Georgia Tech and Northwestern during the 2026 slate. All the more reason Manu could get thrown into the trench fire and hand Colorado the size/speed/power advantage inside.

Manu will need to add an array of moves in his hand arsenal, also known as the "toolbox" for defensive linemen. But the Buffaloes will have a hard time passing on his strength especially during short yardage and goal line situations.

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