Nov 4, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) pass the ball against the Oregon State Beavers at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chet Strange-USA TODAY Sports
We are entering the second and likely final year of Shedeur Sanders as Colorado football’s starting quarterback. Sanders had an incredible first season as the Buffs’ starter in 2023 and enters 2024 as a Heisman candidate and likely top-five pick in next April’s NFL draft. But if you’re anything like me, you’re thinking about the future of the position while still enjoying Sanders’ brilliance.
CU has added three new QBs this offseason to back up Sanders. Each of them has challenged for the primary backup spot but thus far, the room’s lone holdover has held onto the No. 2 role. The competition will continue into the season, but CU should feel good about the depth behind its superstar.
Here’s a closer look at Colorado’s projected depth at quarterback:
Starter: Shedeur Sanders
Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Shedeur Sanders rewrote CU football’s record book last season and is poised for an even bigger season this fall. Sanders threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns with only three interceptions last season while also adding four touchdowns on the ground. Now operating behind a remade offensive line, Sanders hopes to stay healthy while setting new team records.
Backup: Ryan Staub
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 25: Ryan Staub #16 of the Colorado Buffaloes throws a pass against the Utah Utes during the first half of their game at Rice Eccles Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Ryan Staub played in three games as a true freshman with one start, completing 58% of his passes for 254 yards and one touchdown. Staub has held onto the second-string spot to enter the season but must continue to play well in practice.
Backup: Dominiq Ponder
Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. Bethune 10
Coming to the Buffs from HBCU Bethune-Cookman, Dominiq Ponder has turned some heads in fall camp due to his ability to feed younger players like Drelon Miller. He didn’t make many headlines when he transferred in this offseason, but CU may have found a player to keep an eye on in Ponder.
Star player: Shedeur Sanders
CU football’s junior quarterback Shedeur Sanders flexes for the crowd before the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 16, 2023 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.
I believe there’s a better-than-average chance we will hear Sanders’ name called as the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. But to get there, Sanders must continue to develop his decision-making skills, including not holding onto the ball for too long. CU has put the line and weapons around him to do it, and I’m confident Sanders will be a top QB in the nation this year.
Position pipeline
BOULDER, COLORADO – APRIL 27: Quarterback Walter Taylor III #9 of the Colorado Buffaloes rolls out of the pocket during their spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Buffs added two veteran backups from the SEC this offseason in Walter Taylor III and Destin Wade. Taylor comes to CU from Vanderbilt, where he played in five games and was used as a rushing option off the bench. Wade transferred with his brother, edge rusher Keaten Wade, from the Kentucky Wildcats as a former four-star prospect. Wade got one start in Kentucky’s 2022 bowl game against the Iowa Hawkeyes, completing 16-of-30 passes for 98 yards and two interceptions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: How the Colorado Buffaloes stack up at the most crucial position in football
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 00:04:00
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