AllBuffs.com - Covering CU-Boulder Athletics

Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Which team will pick Colorado’s star quarterback?

With the NFL Draft creeping closer, the rumor mill is in full swing—and Shedeur Sanders is right in the thick of it.

Most around the league agree that Shedeur enters this class as QB2, behind Miami’s Cam Ward. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll fall far—especially in a year where quarterback-needy teams dominate the top of the board—but his exact landing spot is still very much up in the air.

The Tennessee Titans currently hold the No. 1 pick, and while they’re a logical spot for a QB, things get murky when you consider their recent investment in Will Levis, a second-rounder from Kentucky who showed flashes in 2024. The Titans may not be ready to give up on him just yet, which opens the door for a trade—or a surprise selection.

Here’s a look at the current top five:

1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
3. New York Giants
4. New England Patriots
5. Jacksonville Jaguars

If you’ve been following only the mainstream coverage, you might think the order’s set in stone. But this is exactly the time of year when smokescreens and vague reports start flying, so let’s try to cut through the noise and listen to what insiders are actually saying.

Let’s look at two recent rumors worth tracking:

Tony Grossi, a long-time Browns insider, threw cold water on the idea of Shedeur going to Cleveland at No. 2:

“I think it’s a giant smokescreen ... This is the greatest year ever to trade down and collect extra picks, and still get a quarterback.”

Adam Schefter, appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, pointed to a different landing spot:

“There’s been a lot of smoke and a lot of connections for Shedeur Sanders to New York. He’s been raised to kind of perform with the bright lights and the big city and I could just see it happening.”

That New York buzz gained traction after the Giants signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston—moves that led many to believe the team might be out on drafting a quarterback early. However, that line of thinking may not be entirely accurate. It’s possible the Giants brought in those veterans with the specific intent to mentor a rookie like Shedeur, giving him a year to adjust before taking over the offense.

We’re still weeks out, but if this trend continues, Shedeur to NYC might be more than just smoke.

by Jacob.Thompson
Continue reading...

Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Folsom Field is getting a controversial makeover.

The Colorado Buffaloes have played their last home game on natural grass, at least for next decade or so.

On Thursday afternoon, it was confirmed by Brian Howell of the Boulder Daily Camera that Folsom Field will be ditching its natural sod for a brand-new, artificial turf playing surface prior to the 2025 season.

The turf will be manufactured by AstroTurf and will be up to the same standard and quality that’s expected of a Power Four school. A 20-millimeter shock pad made by Brock, a Boulder-based company, will be installed below the playing surface to help minimize injuries.

The decision to replace Folsom Field’s natural grass surface came down to two main reasons, according to athletic director Rick George. The first reason was the possibility of home football games being played in December with the new expansion to the College Football Playoffs.

“I think putting turf down there gives us flexibility, certainly with the change in the College Football Playoffs,” George told Howell. “Being a northern school, you don’t grow grass after October, and having a game in December was a big part of that consideration. Plus, it gives us another field that we can practice on daily that will benefit our football program.”

With the new 12-team iteration of the CFP, the top four schools that didn’t win their conference will play in on-campus first-round matchups. George says he is positioning Colorado to be in a favorable spot if they make the cut, unimpeded by potential weather issues.

The other reason George gave for the new artificial turf surface was Folsom Field’s reemergence as a concert venue over the last two years. Colorado’s stadium has hosted four big-name concerts in the last three years, nearly selling out in every instance. Concerts of that size and scale have the potential to damage a natural grass surface, but will do less harm to an artificial one.

“[The new turf surface] gives you flexibility on timing on when you could host an event,” George told BuffZone and Howell. “It’ll give us an opportunity to potentially host an event in the fall that we wouldn’t ever be able to before because of the grass.”

When replacing a natural grass playing field with an artificial one, there are always going to be a lot of questions and concerns, especially when it comes to on-field injuries. Artificial turf has been scientifically proven to lead to more serious, surgery-required injuries than natural grass.

Although there may be a higher risk of injuries at Folsom Field going forward, this isn’t the same bright green turf that fans had grown accustomed to in the 1990s. Science has come a long way, and George acknowledged that turf surfaces are safer than ever.

“I think AstroTurf has improved a lot over the last 15-20 years,” George told BuffZone. “We think it’s a really good surface for us to play on, and especially when we get into late November and potentially hosting [playoff games] in December. It just makes a lot of sense to do that.”

The Buffs have been practicing on a similar surface in their indoor facility since its opening in 2016, so the change won’t come as a shock to the team. 10 of the other 15 teams in the Big 12 conference also have artificial turf surfaces.

The project is slated to be completed by July 1, before Phish’s shows at Folsom Field from July 3-5. According to George, the surface is expected to last for the next 13 to 15 years.

by RylandScholes
Continue reading...

William Purnell-Imagn Images

The event takes place from March 31 to April 6.

March is fully saturated with college basketball to the point where every fan is bloated, irritable and eyes heavy from their 12-hour shifts on the sofa. And yet it’s never enough; there’s always more basketball to consume.

Colorado Buffaloes fans are in particular luck. Not only do we get to watch the NCAA Tournaments as spectators, but we also have the NIT, the women’s WBIT — in which the Buffs sadly lost to Gonzaga — and now the College Basketball Crown.

What is the College Basketball Crown, you ask? It’s less like the NIT or CBI and more like an early season tournament that takes place in the postseason. There are decent teams in the field — some of them just missed the NCAA Tournament, while others are good programs that had bad seasons. I’m not sure why a team like Boise State would turn down the NIT for this, but maybe it’s cheaper and easier to plan?

The Buffs aren’t the best team in the field, but they don’t really care about winning or losing. Tad Boyle wants to see what he has. He’s going to play the kids, test out some stuff for next season, and decide from there his offseason recruiting strategy. The extra practices in March are a nice bonus for the coaching staff.

Colorado’s first game will tip off at 6:30 MT on April 1 against the Villanova Wildcats. If they manage to win, they would play on April 3 against the winner of Tulane and USC, a basketball rematch of the 2023 Cotton Bowl. The semifinals are on the 5th, then the final is on the 6th.

FOX is broadcasting the entire event and each game will be aired on either the flagship network or FS1.

The full schedule can be found on the tournament website.

by Sam Metivier
Continue reading...

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Fans will be able to watch CU’s Pro Day on television

If you had any doubts about the “Prime Effect” bring real, you shouldn’t anymore. The Colorado Buffaloes’ 2025 Pro Day has been locked in for April 4 and will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network.

All 16 of the Buffs’ draft eligible players will be participating in CU’s Pro Day in Boulder, where all 32 NFL teams are likely to be in attendance. Those athletes include:

• QB Shedeur Sanders
• ATH Travis Hunter
• WR LaJohntay Wester
• WR Jimmy Horn Jr.
• WR Will Sheppard
• OL Justin Mayers
• OL Kardell Thomas
• DL Shane Cokes
• DL Chidozie Nwankwo
• DE BJ Green II
• LB LaVonta Bentley
• S Shilo Sanders
• S Cam’ron Silmon-Craig
• S Travis Jay
• S Herman Smith III
• P Mark Vassett

The broadcast of the event is scheduled to start at 12:30 pm MT and end at 2:30 pm, with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche and Brian Baldinger on site acting as hosts.

After not working out at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the whole football world’s eyes will be on Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter before draft season ramps up in mid April. Sanders will make his case that he’s the best quarterback at the draft, while Hunter looks to prove to scouts that he can play on both sides of the ball at the highest level.

Colorado fans should make sure to block off a couple hours in the afternoon on Friday, April 4 to watch their favorite Buffs attempt to wow NFL scouts and boost their draft stocks.

by RylandScholes
Continue reading...

Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Two CU greats will have new homes this season

It’s been a busy weekend for our Buffs in the NFL. Two former CU greats signed new deals this last weekend, sending them across the country to brand new teams.

The first of which is linebacker Nate Landman, who’s inked a one-year deal with the Las Angeles Rams.

During his time in Boulder, Landman became one of the most prolific linebackers to ever come through Folsom Field. After finishing his career with the second most solo tackles in program history (209) and becoming the first ever Buff to be named to four consecutive all-conference teams, Landman signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

While in Atlanta, Landman surpassed all expectations. After only playing in seven games during his rookie season in 2022, “The Hammer” was thrust into a starting job due to injuries to the LB core in 2023 and never looked back. Landman has finished in the top-five in tackles for the Falcons in the last two seasons, narrowly missing out on the Pro Bowl in his sophomore campaign.

With his rookie contract over, Landman made the choice to return back home to California. After growing up in the Bay Area, the West Coast kid is now back where he feels most comfortable. Plus, Landman now has the chance to play alongside fellow CU great Ahkello Witherspoon as Rams, who also inked a one year extension to stay in Los Angeles last week.

As Landman preps to head west to California, former CU wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. is headed east after signing a new one-year contract with the Buffaloes Bills.

At Colorado, Laviska established himself as one of the nation’s best receivers. During his three years playing at Folsom Field, Shenault finished his career as a Buffalo ranked 8th in receptions (145) and 11th in receiving yards (1900), including multiple legendary plays like his game-winning touchdown catch to beat Nebraska in Lincoln in 2018.


After declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft, Shenault with selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 42nd overall pick. Shenault never really found his footing while with the Jags, as the team was going through a turbulent time due to a disconnect between coaching and ownership. After two years in Jacksonville, Shenault was shipped to the Carolina Panthers in a trade in 2023. Shenault arrived to Carolina at the wrong time, as poor decisions by new owner David Tepper devastated the Panthers’ roster and never gave the former Buff a chance to succeed.

After his rookie contract expired ahead of the 2024 season, Shenault signed with the far more stable Seattle Seahawks to be used as a kick return specialist, where he found some success, ripping off a 97-yard touchdown in week six against San Francisco. Seattle would cut Shenault after fumble a return in December against the Jets and he didn’t see the field for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Now, Shenault lands with one of the best teams in the league with Josh Allen at the helm, the reigning MVP and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. Together with Allen, Shenault could finally get the ability to unlock the wrecking ball-like athleticism that he showcased in Boulder.

While it’s unclear if Shenault will be used as a return specialist or traditional receiver with the Bills, the former Buff will find a way to help Buffalo take their next step towards a Super Bowl win.

by RylandScholes
Continue reading...