CU at the NFL Draft

—

CU at the NFL Draft

—

Shut out of the Draft, former Buffs hit the Undrafted Free Agent market

Buffs who have signed free agent contracts … 

• Offensive lineman Xavier Hill … signed with New York Jets
• Cornerback Preston Hodge … signed with Jacksonville Jaguars
• Defensive end Arden Walker … signed with Minnesota Vikings
• Wide receiver Sincere Brown … signed with the Los Angeles Chargers
• Defensive lineman Anquin Barnes … signed with New York Giants
• Quarterback Kaidon Salter … will attend a rookie camp with the Tennessee Titans, then signed with the British Columbia Lions of the CFL
• Defensive end Keaten Wade … will attend a rookie camp with the Kansas City Chiefs
• Defensive lineman Amari McNeill … with attend rookie camps with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Carolina Panthers
• Offensive line Zarian McGill … will attend rookie camp with the Denver Broncos

–

—–

Six Big 12 players – including former Buff Jordyn Tyson – taken in the first round of the NFL Draft

Press release from the Big 12 … The Big 12 Conference had six players taken in Thursday’s first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, led by a trio of selections in the top 10. The six first round picks match the Conference’s high since 2011, alongside the 2023 draft.

Texas Tech’s David Bailey was selected second overall by the New York Jets before Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson went eighth to the New Orleans Saints and Utah’s Spencer Fano was picked ninth by the Cleveland Browns. The three marked the most top-10 picks for the Conference since the 2012 NFL Draft.

Three Big 12 players were selected in a six-pick span near the end of the first round, beginning with ASU’s Max Iheanachor, who the Pittsburgh Steelers picked at 21^st. Malachi Lawrence from UCF went to the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 23 pick, and Caleb Lomu was the second Ute selected when the New England Patriots took him with the 28^th overall pick.

–

—–

Longest Active Droughts without an NFL First Round pick (Nebraska now at 15 years)

… Nice to have CU off of this list, there was a 14-year drought between Jimmy Smith and Nate Solder (2011) and Travis Hunter (2025) … 

Longest Active Droughts Without an NFL 1st Round Pick (Power 4) (Updated to include 2026 Draft) …

• 41 years – SMU
• 32 – Indiana (ended in 2026)
• 18 – Kansas, Vanderbilt
• 17 – Virginia
• 16 – Rutgers
• 15- Nebraska
• 13 – Syracuse
• 12 – Oklahoma State

–

—–

Three Buffs who could sneak into the 2026 NFL Draft

From Sports Illustrated … With the 2026 NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, the Colorado Buffaloes are hoping to hear several of their players hear their names called.

With that in mind, it is time to rank the Colorado players expected to be drafted.

1. Preston Hodge

After a great 2025 campaign, cornerback Preston Hodge projects to be the first player drafted from Colorado and could be one of the best ball hawks in this year’s draft.

In his 2025 season, Hodge recorded 13 pass breakups and one interception in a year where he was constantly in a great position to make plays on the ball and was able to capitalize on these opportunities. With his 13 pass breakups, Hodge led the Big 12 and was tied for second in the country.

His ability to make plays on the ball and consistently be where he is supposed to be in coverage bodes well as Hodge begins his career in the NFL. Hodge also has a great frame, standing at 6-0 and 200 pounds, that could translate very well to the next level.

2. Sincere Brown

On the perimeter, Buffaloes wide receiver Sincere Brown brings solid size and speed, which may help him to climb draft boards and become the second Colorado player off the board.

In his 2025 campaign with the Buffaloes, Brown recorded 22 receptions for 376 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 17.1 yards per catch. Brown did not get a ton of targets, but when he got the ball in his hands, there was no doubt that he would make a play.

3. Zylon Crisler

On the offensive line, Zylon Crisler has great potential to be drafted into the NFL, and with his positional versatility, could be one of the best steals in the draft.

In his college career with Colorado and previously with Illinois, Crisler has primarily played at guard, where he has experienced great success. Last season with the Buffaloes, Crisler did not allow a sack and allowed just three quarterback hits and 15 quarterback hurries.

… Read full story here …

–

—–

A look back at the 2025 NFL Draft 

Travis Hunter becomes the second No. 2 overall pick for CU in NFL Draft history

CU Press Release … The Colorado Buffaloes’ Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, become the highest drafted cornerback and second-highest drafted wide receiver in NFL history.

Matching the highest draft pick in CU history alongside Bo Matthews (No. 2 overall to the San Diego Chargers in 1974), Hunter is just the fourth top 5 pick in CU history also joining Byron White (No.4 to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1938) and Michael Westbrook (No. 4 to the Washington Redskins in 1995).

Hunter became the most decorated player in college football history last year being named the consensus national player of the year by winning the Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award and both the AP and Sporting News Player of the Year honors.  He was also repeated as the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) while winning the Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy as national defensive player of the year and the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver regardless of position.

One of only three college football players to win eight major awards, he was also a unanimous first-team All-American, earning seven first-team (and eight overall) honors from the five publications the NCAA uses to determine unanimous and consensus honors.  He is the first player in the history of the Walter Camp All-America team, the nation’s oldest, to earn two first-team honors, and is the first known player to earn two first-team and three overall honors on the AP team.  The other publications three only allow mention at one position.

—

Shedeur Sanders becomes the first CU quarterback drafted since 1997

Press release from CUBuffs.com …  Shedeur Sanders was selected by the Cleveland in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

He is the 16th selection from CU in Cleveland Browns history but first since 2012 when OG Ryan Miller was also a fifth round pick for the Browns.  He is the eighth quarterback drafted in CU history.

Sanders won the Johnny Unitas award as the top quarterback in college football in 2024, when we was named first-team All-American by multiple publications and second-team by the AP.  He was the unanimous choice for the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and named first-team All-Big 12 by all the publications that pick the team.

—

LaJohntay Wester taken in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens

Press release from CUBuffs.com … LaJohntay Wester was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round with the 203rd overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft Saturday.

In his one season in Boulder, he played in all 13 games and started 12 for the Buffaloes and finished with 74 receptions for 931 yards and 10 touchdowns.  He also added 12.2 yards in punt returns on 10 returns including a 76 yard touchdown return against Utah.

His 74 receptions ranks seventh in CU history, his 931 yards rank 12th and his 10 touchdowns rank fourth, and he and Travis Hunter (15) are the only duo both with 10-plus touchdown receptions in a season.

–

Jimmy Horn taken in the sixth round by the Carolina Panthers 

Press release from CUBuffs.com … Jimmy Horn Jr. was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round with the 208th overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday.

Horn was drafted just minutes after teammate LaJohntay Wester, who was selected with the 203rd overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens. Along with Travis Hunter and Wester, this is the first time three wide receivers have been drafted out of CU in the same draft in school history.

Horn is the sixth player out of CU to be drafted by the Panthers and the first in 21 years since ILB Sean Tufts was drafted in the sixth round of the 2004 draft.

—

The following Buffs signed free agent contracts after the NFL Draft:

• Safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig … Jacksonville Jaguars
• Safety Shilo Sanders … Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Defensive end BJ Green … Jacksonville Jaguars
• Wide receiver Will Sheppard … Tampa Bay Buccaneers

–

—–

Colorado tied for No. 23 on the all-time list of NFL draftees

From Winsipedia.com …

The list (heading into the 2026 NFL Draft) …

• No. 20 … Pittsburgh … 307
• No. 21 … Auburn … 303
• No. 22 … Purdue … 295
• No. 23T … Colorado … 293
• No. 23T … Minnesota … 293
• No. 25 … Florida State … 289
• No. 26 … Iowa … 287
• No. 27 … Arkansas … 286
• No. 28 … Clemson … 283
• No. 29 … Stanford … 280
• No. 30 … Mississippi … 271

–

—

All-time Big-12 NFL Draft Picks (Overall FBS Rank) …

• 1.  Colorado (23T) … 293
• 2. Arizona State (33) … 256
• 3. Baylor (35) … 249
• 4. TCU (44) … 217
• 5. West Virginia (48) …201
• 6. Arizona (50) …191
• 7. Houston (51) …189
• 8. Utah (54) …178
• 9. Oklahoma State (56) … 176
• 10. Kansas (57) …175
• 11. Texas Tech (61) …170
• 12. Kansas State (67) …156
• 13. BYU (68) …153
• 14. Cincinnati (71) …135
• 15. Iowa State (72) …132
• 16. Central Florida (98) … 52

—

All Time First Round NFL Draft picks … 

• 1. Ohio State … 95
• 2. USC … 86
• 3. Alabama … 84
• 4. Notre Dame … 71
• 5. Miami … 68
• 6. Florida … 59
• 7. Texas … 58
• 8. Michigan …55
• 9. LSU … 53
• 10. Georgia … 52
• 11. Oklahoma … 51
• 12. Tennessee …48
• 13. Florida State …47
• 14. Penn State … 44
• 15. Clemson … 40
• 16T. UCLA …37
• 16T. Texas A&M …36
• 18. Michigan State …36
• 19. Nebraska …34
• 20. Auburn … 32
• 21T. Washington … 31
• 21T. Wisconsin … 31
• 23T. California … 27
• 23T. Pittsburgh … 27
• 23T. North Carolina … 27
• 26T. Arizona State … 26
• 26T. Iowa … 26
• 28T. Colorado (2nd/Big 12) … 25
• 28T. Stanford … 25
• 28T. Oregon … 25 (which includes former Buff Christian Gonzalez) …
• 31T. Arkansas … 23
• 31T. Ole Miss … 23

—

Quirky CU Draft Facts 

— On two occasions, CU Buffs have been “Mr. Irrelevant”, the last choice in the NFL Draft. In 1977, the Minnesota Vikings selected fullback Jim Kelleher, while in 1984 the Los Angeles Raiders selected quarterback Randy Essington. CU was the only school with two players earning this distinction until South Carolina had the final players of the 2009 and 2013 drafts;

— Twelve times in Colorado history, an undergraduate has declared for the NFL Draft, the most recent being Travis Hunter in the 2025 Draft. All twelve players were drafted, with offensive lineman Will Sherman barely keeping the streak alive in 2021, going to New England in the sixth round;

— Colorado has had 25 first-round draft picks in NFL history. Listed below are the seven Buffs who were were selected in the Top Ten of the first round:

• #2 (2025) Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jacksonville
• # 2 (1974) Bo Matthews, FB, San Diego
• # 4 (1938) Byron White, HB, Pittsburgh
• # 4 (1995) Michael Westbrook, WR, Washington
• # 7 (1974) J. V. Cain, TE, St. Louis
• # 8 (1980) Mark Haynes, CB, N.Y. Giants
• #10 (1997) Chris Naeole, OG, New Orleans

— In the 1977 draft, five Buffs were selected in the second round, with all five taken within 18 picks of each other;

— In the 1996 draft, CU had only seven seniors available, with five of those players being drafted (and a sixth player signing as a free agent). The five players drafted were: OG Heath Irwin (4th round; New England); DE Daryl Price (4th round; San Francisco); C Bryan Stoltenberg (6th round; San Diego); CB T.J. Cunningham (6th round; Seattle); and DT Kerry Hicks (7th round; Carolina);

— In the decade between 1991 and 2000, Colorado had 58 players drafted, second in the nation. In the most recent decade, 2010 to 2019, Colorado had … 15.

–

—–

This post, about the Spring/Summer game, from the 2026 Season, is filed under Article.
You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment.