The Colorado Buffaloes’ 2025 NFL draft class featured four players, the No. 2 overall pick, Travis Hunter, fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders, and sixth-round picks LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr., but has only seen three of them play. Furthermore, only two have made an impact.
While most would’ve predicted Hunter to be the brightest Buffs rookie, a lateral collateral ligament (LCL) tear in his right knee that required season-ending surgery. Hunter only hauled in one touchdown and fewer than 300 yards in seven appearances. Sanders hasn’t been stellar, going 1-4 and throwing more interceptions (six) than touchdown passes (five), but he’s had standout games – most notably, a 400-plus-yard all-purpose effort against an admittedly underwhelming Tennessee Titans defense in a 31-29 home loss.
Regardless of which Colorado alum is shining brightest during the 2025 NFL season, College Football HQ’s Nick Merriam ranked the Buffs’ draft class as the ninth-best of any school.
“The best of Travis Hunter seemed just around the corner before an injury sidelined him for the season. The tape still shows a potentially franchise-changing talent in Jacksonville. Shedeur Sanders has a few more weeks to prove whether he can be Cleveland’s quarterback of the future,” Merriam wrote.
Zarian McGill is Colorado’s only guaranteed 2026 NFL draft pick
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs transfer center Zarian McGill is the only Buffalo likely to hear his name called at the 2026 NFL draft at this point.
McGill was a notable All-Big 12 First Team snub who contributed to a vastly improved run game that got Marshall Faulk hired as the next head coach of the Southern Jaguars.
It remains to be seen if left tackle Jordan Seaton, the only other surefire future pro on CU’s offensive line, will return to Boulder in 2026. If he does, he’ll have a chance to follow McGill’s footsteps at the 2027 draft.