One Breakout Candidate In Colorado's Wide Receiver Room

With the hope of having a much better showing in 2026, the Colorado Buffaloes and coach Deion Sanders made an emphasis on the transfer portal and high school recruiting, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

On the perimeter in the wide receiver room, several players have the opportunity to have breakout seasons, but there is one transfer from the SEC who has the potential to become a top receiver in the Big 12.

DeAndre Moore Jr.

The transfer who could breakout next season in the wide receiver room is DeAndre Moore Jr., who transfers from Texas. Moore brings a skillet that has the ability to translate very well in most offenses.

Standing at 6-0 and 190 pounds, Moore has the size and speed to create explosive plays all over the field. In his time with the Longhorns, Moore showed the ability to be productive when he got the ball in his hands. However, he was never able to become the top option in the offense at Texas, which seems to be a reason why he opted to enter the transfer portal and come to Colorado.

In his experience with Texas, Moore recorded 77 receptions for 988 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 12.8 yards per reception. As a receiver, Moore can make plays over the top of the defense with speed as well as take underneath passes the distance to give the offense a boost.

Moore‘s skill set in the Buffaloes offense could be a seamless fit, especially with who coach Sanders brought in to be the new offensive coordinator.

Brennan Marion's Offense

Following a season where Colorado struggled to consistently move the ball, Coach Prime knew he needed a shift on the offensive side of the ball, which is why he brought in Brennan Marion to be the Buffaloes’ new offensive coordinator.

In his previous stops, Marion has found great success in creating consistent and productive offenses in both the run game and the pass game. With the balance that Marion brings, he has the opportunity to help Colorado’s offense significantly improve in 2026.

One of the more interesting storylines to pay attention to is how Moore is used by Marion in the offense. On several occasions, Marion has talked about his desire to coach Moore at the collegiate level. With the opportunity to finally coach Moore, there is no doubt that Marion will do his best to maximize his size and speed.

Marion’s offense is best known for high tempo and using the speed he has on the perimeter to challenge defenders to tackle in space. A player like Moore could definitely succeed in this offense with his ability to contribute in the pass game over the top, underneath, or even in the intermediate area.

With the talent to be a weapon in all aspects of the passing game for Colorado, Moore could become Colorado’s top option and potentially create a dangerous chemistry with the Buffaloes' quarterbacks in 2026.

Colorado Quarterback Julian Lewis

Heading into his first season as the projected starter at quarterback, redshirt freshman Julian Lewis is hoping to build on his experience from the 2025 season. During his first season at the collegiate level, Lewis was able to play in four games while starting and showed flashes that he could be the future starting quarterback for Colorado.

As a quarterback, Lewis is best maximized by getting the ball out quickly to his receivers on the perimeter while making quick reads. The good news for Lewis is that his skill set should not only mesh well with Marion‘s offense, but could also click right away with Moore’s skill set.

Throughout spring practice, Lewis was able to gain familiarity with Marion‘s offense with a variety of receivers. However, Moore was out for most of the spring with an injury, which may put him behind on the mental side of learning the offense. However, with the talent that Moore has put on tape, there’s no doubt that Marion will allow him to showcase his receiving abilities in fall camp.

With his skill set, it seems almost certain that Moore and Lewis should be able to develop great chemistry together and become a very dangerous duo for the rest of the Big 12. When it does come time for fall camp, Moore and Lewis must get as many reps together as possible before practice, during practice, and after practice, so they are on the same page in this new offense that they are both learning.

When Moore and Lewis both get on the same page, Moore has the opportunity to not only become one of the best receivers in the Big 12 but also potentially one of the most productive receivers in the entire country.

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