The offseason hasn’t exactly been kind to Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes, but it hasn’t buried them either. Despite losing their top-tier stars to the NFL and navigating a high-profile wave of roster turnover, Coach Prime’s squad isn’t tumbling may not be entirely worthy of striving into this fall as a top-25 team in all of college football, but their busy offseason hasn’t sunk coach Deion Sanders’ squad to the bottom of the Big 12 Conference. There’s still national attention…

In ESPN’s latest Big 12 power rankings, Colorado was slotted in at No. 12 out of 16 teams. A surprising drop for a team that finished tied for first in conference play at 7-2 just a season ago. The dip is largely attributed to Colorado’s high-profile losses. Shedeur Sanders, two-way phenom Travis Hunter, and edge rusher BJ Green II all heard their names called on NFL Draft weekend. FOX Sports analyst RJ Young didn’t dispute the magnitude of the talent drain, but pointed out a glaring omission in the critics’ evaluation. “Colorado was also very, very good last year and tied a top [in] the Big 12 standings. Two reasons as to why are gone. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. We can have a different conversation about Shedeur Sanders, but we will not argue that he did not throw for 4,000 yards, damn near 40 touchdowns,” Young said.

“We also can have a different conversation about Travis Hunter and the Heisman Trophy winner. But the conversation I would like to have is they didn’t have no run game, dog. They didn’t have no run game.” That wasn’t just a stylistic problem—it was a tactical liability. Colorado was dead last in rushing offense in the nation last season. And yet, they still won nine games. That’s the piece RJ circled.

“Forget the pass protection. Forget that part. They were dead last in running the football last year, and they still won nine games. What happens if they get even a small rushing attack?” Young asked. “What happens if Shedeur Sanders’s arm is not the only way for which you can move the ball, let alone score points?” With Sanders now in the NFL, Colorado’s reboot has focused on plugging those gaps with both staff and player upgrades.

“What you do if you’re Prime? You went and got Marshall Faulk, which immediately upgrades your running back credibility and your ability to recruit to the position. You changed your offensive line coach. You brought in Warren Sapp full-time and oh yeah, you’re the head coach. You are also a Pro Football Hall of Famer. So that’s three Pro Football Hall of Famers on one staff,” said Young.

And it doesn’t stop there. Byron Leftwich is expected to inject fresh wrinkles into Pat Shurmur’s offensive playbook, and the quarterback room is suddenly more intriguing than it’s been in years. “Then you have the five-star in Julian Lewis, along with the seasoned vet in Kaidon Salter. So either way, you got a big, wide, large ceiling for your quarterback play,” Young added. “Yeah, you’re losing Travis Hunter, but they were pretty deep at receiver if you did not remember it. Not just last year, but this year they had guys getting drafted.”

That includes wideouts Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester, both of whom joined Shedeur and Hunter in hearing their names called on Draft day. But beyond the departures, Colorado’s portal activity has been decisive and aggressive. The Buffs added Salter from Liberty, Joseph Williams from Tulsa, and landed a monster up front in Alabama transfer defensive tackle Jeheim Oatis. Yet, the rankings still haven’t reflected that level of retooling.

ESPN’s Eli Lederman chalked up the No. 12 ranking to instability. “This was always going to be a challenging offseason with two superstars and a bunch of seniors going pro,” he noted. “The Buffs did lose eight players—who earned starts last season—to the portal, and Sanders had to make new hires to replace four assistant coaches.” That turnover rate is steep, even by portal-era standards. But Colorado also returns a decent chunk of talent and enters 2025 with two high-upside options at QB, a revamped coaching braintrust, and a clear roadmap for rebuilding its run game.

Deion Sanders lands a big-time bodyguard for Buffs QB1

In a major win for Colorado’s offensive line—and for Coach Prime’s mission to flip the Buffs into a Big 12 force. Deion Sanders just reeled in a certified trench warrior. Former Maryland OT Andre Roye Jr. is officially heading to Boulder, per On3 Sports, giving the Buffs a much-needed dose of size, skill, and experience up front.

Standing 6-foot-6 and tipping the scales at 295 pounds, Roye isn’t just big—he’s battle-tested. He started seven games for the Terrapins last season and held his ground like a pro, allowing just one sack over 434 snaps. That’s no small feat in the bruising Big Ten, where defensive linemen are basically future NFL draft picks in waiting.

A former three-star recruit out of powerhouse St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, Roye was a Top-50 offensive tackle nationally and ranked No. 11 overall in Maryland’s 2022 class. Now, he’s bringing that pedigree—and poise—to a Colorado team that gave up a whopping 43 sacks last season.

This isn’t just a depth move; it’s a protection plan. Roye’s arrival gives Colorado a legit anchor on the O-line and might just help silence those doubting Colorado’s Top-10 Big 12 potential.