Five Colorado Buffaloes Freshmen Most Likely To Make Early Impact For Deion Sanders

First impressions are everything. In modern college football, they might as well be part of the job description.

While the Colorado Buffaloes have relied mainly on experience under coach Deion Sanders, numerous true freshmen have made names for themselves over the years. Offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and wide receiver Drelon Miller exceeded expectations out of high school in 2024.

As the page turns to 2025, Colorado is steadily becoming a team with plenty to prove. Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are among a flock of experienced names headed to the NFL and beyond, opening the door for unproven talent to break through.

The Buffs have plenty of raw newbies littering the roster, including speedy Texas-born wide receiver Quentin Gibson, hulking four-star linebacker Mantrez Walker and versatile offensive lineman Carde Smith.

So, who’s next?

Branch has all the tools necessary to be another one of Coach Prime’s prized Florida boys. The native of Miami, Florida, was a four-star Penn State Nittany Lions commit before flipping to the Buffs last September. He finished his pre-college career at Northwestern High School under coach and NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Branch was a massive bright spot during April’s spring game, diving to snare an interception off the grass and making several excellent tackles in space. Listed at 6-3, 170, Branch presents a slender, fluid build and proven ball skills to a safety room that lost its veteran presence in Shilo Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.

No position in Boulder has been scrutinized more than the offensive line. While walk-on center Cash Cleveland managed to break into the starting unit and become an On3 Freshman All-American in 2024, Gooden has a chance to up the ante.

Gooden was a four-star prospect ranked in 247Sports’ top 200, tabbed the No. 12 interior offensive lineman and No. 3 recruit from Tennessee. While he’ll have to catch some Z’s for a starting spot (Zarian McGill, Zy Crisler), Gooden is a 6-3, 380-pound goliath with pristine potential and a recruiting history with new offensive line coach Gunnar White.

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The Buffs’ defensive line led the Big 12 in sacks last season and only added more to the party. Of the pass-rushing newcomers, Merritt stands out with his blend of power and finesse. It warranted a four-star rating out of IMG Academy and an initial commitment to the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Colorado flipped Merritt last December and will add him to a fold that recently lost a talented underclassman in defensive end Taje McCoy. He’ll have experience to overcome, but there’s a great chance Merritt ends up in the edge rotation and opposing backfields by year’s end.

Colorado lost nearly all its historic receiving corps from 2024, leaving Farrakhan and other newcomers with massive shoes to fill. However, the four-star has every trick in the bag to fit right in.

Farrakhan dominated as a receiver and returner at North Shore High School (Houston, TX) and garnered offers from the Alabama Crimson Tide and Texas A&M Aggies before instilling belief in Sanders and the Buffaloes. He boasts advanced route running and change of direction for his age, bringing a well-roundedness that many of Colorado’s current receivers lack.

After the commitment flip heard ’round the world from the USC Trojans to Colorado, Lewis is in the limelight as he enters year one of his college career. The product of Carrollton, Georgia, trusted his talent enough to bypass his senior year of high school.

While his time on the field isn’t a given, Lewis has traits similar to what helped Sanders captain Colorado’s offense to prominence over the last two seasons. He’s undersized yet poised and deadly accurate, giving him a shot in a quarterback battle against senior Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter.