Deion Sanders leads a new-look roster into Frisco as five-star quarterback Julian Lewis and explosive playmaker Danny Scudero headline the Buffaloes' debut appearance at Big 12 Media Days.
The Colorado Buffaloes will be sending six players to Big 12 Media Days next month in Frisco, Texas.
Deion Sanders will be joined by quarterback Julian Lewis, wide receiver Danny Scudero, tight end Zach Atkins and defensive backs Ben Finneseth, Naeten Mitchell and Cree Thomas.
Colorado will be there for the two-event starting on Tuesday, July 7. This will be the first time some of the national media will get a chance to know Sanders' portal players.
Lewis is obviously the headliner of the group. The Buffs' projected starting quarterback finished off the 2025 season with a few starts. The former Carrollton (Georgia) five-star threw for 589 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions over the course of four games. He applied the freshman redshirt rule to preserve his eligibility and enters his first full season under center. His best performance came in a late-season loss on the road in West Virginia.
If Lewis can stay healthy and grasp CU offensive coordinator Brennan Lewis' go-go scheme, he'll turn heads during his redshirt freshman campaign in Boulder. Keep in mind, Lewis reclassified to the 2026 recruiting class, which should've been his senior year of high school. So, technically this is his true freshman year after getting a head start last year.
Scudero led the nation with 1,297 yards last season at San Jose State. Can he repeat that level of success at the Power 4 level? Sanders and his staff hopes that will be the case. He's a bit undersized at 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, but doesn't play like it.
“Danny is a game changer and a playmaker,” Sanders told ESPN. “He’s built like a slot but can play any of the receiver positions. He runs every route with intention and understands leverage and spacing.
Atkins adds another year in Boulder to his resume. After nearly leaving the program via the transfer portal, Sanders convinced the big blocking tight end to reverse course and stay. Where he fits for Marion will be interesting to see as the season starts.
Finneseth is one of Colorado's longest returning players and the last holdover from the pre-Prime era. The sixth-year senior finished the 2025 season with 27 tackles, a forced fumble, a QB hurry, and a blocked field goal in the secondary.
As for Naeten Mitchell and Cree Thomas, the Buffs newcomers have very different backgrounds. Mitchell spent last season with New Mexico State before heading to Boulder. He racked up 58 tackles, 3 INTs, 7 PDs, and four forced fumbles. Thomas was on the verge of playing in the College Football Playoff at Notre Dame. The Irish were snubbed in favor of the runner-up Miami in one of the most controversial decisions since undefeated Florida State was left out of the playoff in in 2023.
Colorado's projected win total currently sits at 4.5 for the 2026 season. This would put Sanders and the Buffs without a postseason appearance for a second straight year.
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