With Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter now pursuing NFL careers, the Colorado Buffaloes are entering a new chapter, one without the two stars who defined their offense for the past two seasons. Yet, according to head coach Deion Sanders, there’s no reason to panic. In fact, Coach Prime is convinced the 2025 Buffs are better built for success as a complete team.
Shedeur and Hunter combined for nearly 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns during their final season, helping rejuvenate a once-struggling Colorado program. Their departures leave massive shoes to fill, but Sanders insists the roster has been upgraded-just in a different way.
“Nobody can fill those shoes. They were great players, but we have a better team,” Deion Sanders said during Big 12 media day.
“There’s a difference between great players and a great team. We have a better team, but we can replace those types of players. It may take three players on offense to replace a Travis Hunter. It may take two players to replace Shedeur Sanders, and that’s what we brought here. So we feel like we have better defense and offense.”
A new season brings new leaders and renewed depth
This upcoming season will be the first time in over two years that Colorado takes the field without Shedeur Sanders commanding the offense and Travis Hunter electrifying on both sides of the ball. Coach Prime understands their impact but is also focused on the program’s overall growth.
Thanks to strong recruiting and aggressive use of the transfer portal, Colorado’s new roster features a deeper pool of talent. Headlining the offensive side is quarterback Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty, who is expected to start Week 1. Backing him up is five-star freshman Julian Lewis, one of the top-ranked recruits in the 2025 class.
Coach Sanders has already taken Lewis under his wing, encouraging him to lead both on and off the field.
“He’s already a leader in that locker room,” Sanders said. “We are putting him in front of the media and in pressure situations now so that when it’s his time to play under the lights, he’ll be ready.”
Hunter’s exit also leaves a void in the cornerback and wide receiver rooms. But Sanders said the Buffs are ready to fill the gap-not with another two-way star, but with more specialized talent. He acknowledged that Hunter wasn’t the most dominant corner or receiver in the nation, but what made him special was his versatility.
“It may take three players on offense to replace a Travis Hunter,” Sanders repeated, emphasizing how the new group must deliver collectively..
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