Although the Colorado Buffaloes have strong depth at quarterback as they approach the 2025 season, coach Deion Sanders could greatly benefit from securing a commitment for the class of 2026 at this key position in college football.
Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty Flames, joined the Buffaloes in December and is the frontrunner for the starting quarterback role, competing against incoming freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis. Additionally, rising redshirt sophomore Ryan Staub still has three years of eligibility left after serving as a backup to Shedeur Sanders for the past two seasons.
The current plan is for Lewis to gain experience under Salter this fall before taking over as Colorado’s starting quarterback in 2026. However, bringing in another young quarterback to support Lewis could be beneficial in the long term. Moreover, increased competition at the quarterback position is likely to enhance the overall quality of the group.
In an article by ESPN college football reporter and national recruiting analyst Eli Lederman, Colorado was highlighted as one of 11 teams likely to seek a quarterback from the class of 2026. Lederman categorized these teams into three tiers: those that “must secure a top quarterback in the 2026 class,” those that will “stay active” in the recruitment, and those that may not need a 2026 quarterback but could still acquire one. The Buffaloes were placed in the second category, thanks to the presence of Lewis and the number of 2026 quarterback prospects associated with Colorado.
Still, Colorado has maintained a presence on the 2026 quarterback trail this spring. The Buffaloes were finalists for three-star Mississippi State pledge Brodie McWhorter, four-star Michigan State commit Kayd Coffman and three-star recruit Luke Fahey among their most recent offers. Most prominently, Colorado remains as one of seven schools in the mix for four-star pocket passer Oscar Rios (No. 193 in ESPN 300), who will close a busy run of spring officials with a trip to see coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes on June 20.Eli Lederman
McWhorter, Coffman, Fahey, and Rios are all exciting prospects to follow as Colorado works on its 2026 recruiting class. Even though McWhorter and Coffman are currently committed to other schools, “Coach Prime” has a strong history of successfully recruiting top prospects, like Lewis, who was originally committed to the USC Trojans.
The Colorado Buffs make 4⭐️QB Oscar Rios' top 7 list. He will make his commitment on June 25th. Before that he will be visiting Boulder on June 20th for an Official Visit #skobuffs pic.twitter.com/M312qLwdeb
— NoSkoZone (@noskozone) April 28, 2025
Before his visit to Boulder in June, Rios recently listed Colorado among his top seven schools, which include Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, UCLA, Arizona, Utah, and Kentucky. The quarterback from Downey, California, is set to announce his college commitment on June 25, according to Rivals.
Fahey, also from California, received an offer from Colorado on May 8 and plans to visit the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes on June 20, as reported by On3.
Currently, Colorado has two commitments for the class of 2026: three-star EDGE Domata Peko Jr. and three-star tight end Gavin Mueller.
Lederman identified the LSU Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, and Ole Miss Rebels as the three teams in greatest need of a quarterback for the class of 2026. Alongside Colorado, the second tier includes the Auburn Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma Sooners, and South Carolina Gamecocks.
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