Projecting Colorado football starters, top reserves on offense for 2024 season

The second year of the Deion Sanders-era of Colorado football should look much different than the first.

The Buffaloes have a handful of new transfers, including a completely rebuilt offensive line, a new offensive coordinator and will be playing in the new Big 12 in 2024. Change was needed after Colorado finished 4-8 last season and lost eight of its final nine games.

As of Jan. 25, a total of 29 new players (23 transfers, six high school signees) have committed to Colorado and many of them are expected to contribute right away. How quickly the influx of new talent can gel with returning contributors — such as quarterback Shedeur Sanders and consensus All-American Travis Hunter — will determine how much success the Buffs will find in 2024.

With that in mind, here’s a look at a potential Week 1 lineup for the Colorado offense as the Buffs host North Dakota State on Aug. 31, including references to important depth pieces throughout. There's another transfer portal window in the spring when more roster changes could come.

Projecting Colorado's 2024 starters on offense

Left tackle — Jordan Seaton (6-foot-5, 285 pounds, freshman): The consensus five-star prospect and No. 1 offensive tackle in the country was the biggest prize of Colorado's 2024 recruiting haul. Seaton is the third-highest-ranked player since 2000 to sign with Colorado, according to 247Sports, and might endure some growing pains early on, but he should slot in as Shedeur's blindside protector from Day 1.

Depth: Isaiah Jatta (senior) appeared in 11 games for the Buffs in 2023 (one start vs. UCLA). The 6-foot-6, 300-pound OT was the top junior college player from California in the Class of 2023 and a first-team All-American at Snow College. David Conner (redshirt freshman) has been riddled with injuries over the last two years — redshirted 2022 season at Florida due to thumb injury and missed entire 2023 season at Colorado with a torn pec — but Deion Sanders raved about the 6-foot-5, 295-pound OL's offseason progression last summer.

Left guard — Tyler Johnson (6-foot-5, 325 pounds, graduate transfer): Johnson was the No. 4 interior lineman in the transfer portal after spending the last two seasons at Houston as the Cougars' starting guard. The former top-100 recruit in the Class of 2019 has allowed just two sacks across 890 career pass-block snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Depth: Tyler Brown (junior) could very well find his way into the starting lineup (at guard or center) after being ruled ineligible to play during the 2023 season due to the two-transfer rule. The 6-foot-3, 310-pound OL started 13 games on the offensive line for Deion Sanders at Jackson State in 2022, earning AP third-team FCS All-American honors.

Center — Yakiri Walker (6-foot-2, 270 pounds, junior): Walker was the first transfer to commit to Colorado after the 2023 campaign in which he appeared in all 12 games for UConn, playing a total of 797 snaps. The starting center for the Huskies last season should help provide a more consistent pocket for Shedeur in 2024.

Depth: Hank Zilinskas (sophomore) played in 11 games (two starts) for Colorado last season and showed promise as a true freshman. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound center didn't allow a single quarterback hit on 104 pass-blocking attempts, according to PFF, nor was he penalized on 142 offensive plays.

Right guard — Justin Mayers (6-foot-4, 320 pounds, senior): Mayers chose Colorado over Mississippi State, Pitt, South Carolina, Texas Tech and others after entering the portal. The UTEP transfer started all 12 games at left guard for the Miners in 2023 and has over 1,700 snaps of experience (36 games) under his belt.

Depth: Cash Cleveland (freshman) is a preferred walk-on who played alongside Seaton as the starting center at powerhouse IMG Academy. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound OL could very well play his way into a scholarship due to his high motor. Deion Sanders has already taken a liking to him.

Right tackle — Kahlil Benson (6-foot-6, 305 pounds, junior): Benson started all 12 games at right tackle for Indiana in 2023 and has 17 career starts under his belt. He allowed just one sack last season on 424 pass attempts.

Depth: There will be intense competition at both tackle spots and Savion Washington (junior) will be in the thick of it after starting nine games (660 total snaps) at right tackle for Colorado in 2023. FIU transfer Phillip Houston (junior) will also have a say in the OL competition after the 6-foot-5, 250-pound OL started all 12 games for the Panthers last season and was the team's highest-graded offensive lineman (66.6), according to PFF.

WR (“X”) — Will Sheppard (6-foot-3, 205 pounds, senior): Sheppard appears to have the ability to have one of the most prolific seasons for a wide receiver in Colorado football history after tearing it up in the SEC over the last three years. During that span, the Vanderbilt transfer racked up more than 2,000 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, including 684 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Taking over the role Xavier Weaver (Colorado's leading WR in 2023) had last season, Sheppard should be among the new Big 12's most productive pass catchers.

Depth: Consensus All-American and 2023 Paul Hornung Award winner Travis Hunter (junior) will certainly be plenty utilized as a WR in 2024 after catching 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns for the Buffs last season, but an influx of new talent at the position should allow him to play almost exclusively at cornerback and avoid exhaustion. TCU transfer Cordale Russell (freshman) is one of those new WR additions and comes to Colorado as a former four-star recruit. The top-100 prospect in the Class of 2023, nicknamed "Baby T.O." after Terrell Owens, is listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds.

WR (“F” or “slot”) — LaJohntay Wester (5-foot-11, 167, senior): Wester is another transfer who should make a big impact in 2024 after a legendary career at FAU. Named first-team All-AAC, Wester caught a career-high 108 passes (second in FBS) for 1,168 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Not only is Wester FAU's all-time leader in receptions (252), he was also named the AAC's Special Teams Player of the Year for his work as a returner.

Depth: Jimmy Horn Jr. (senior) was the Buffs' starting slot WR in 2023 and he thrived, catching 58 passes for 567 yards and six touchdowns. The arrival of Wester will likely cut into Horn Jr.'s playing time but it doesn't mean he won't play a pivotal role in Colorado's offense for the second consecutive season. Dre'lon Miller is Colorado's second-highest-ranked high school commit (behind Seaton) in the Class of 2024 and figures to be an immediate contributor. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound WR accounted for 4,409 yards of total offense (3,571 receiving, 778 rushing, 60 passing) during his HS career.

WR (“Z”) — Omarion Miller (6-foot-2, 195 pounds, sophomore): Miller put the college football world on notice last season when he caught seven passes for 196 yards and a touchdown during Colorado's 48-41 loss to USC on Sept. 9. He didn't have another game with multiple catches for the rest of his true freshman season, but Miller's talent is undeniable and should be on full display in the Big 12.

Depth: Terrell Timmons Jr. (sophomore), the cousin of Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen, is another WR addition who could play his way onto the field for the Buffs in 2024. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound transfer played in all 12 games for NC State last season, catching 11 passes for 195 yards. Tar'Varish Dawson (junior) played in seven games (four starts) for the Buffs last season, totaling 14 catches for 124 receiving yards and a touchdown. He broke out against Nebraska, scoring twice (a 30-yard TD catch and an eight-yard TD run), and could be even more involved in 2024.

Tight end — Chamon Metayer (6-foot-5, 245 pounds, junior): Colorado lost its top tight end from last season (Michael Harrison) to San Diego State but Metayer appears to be an upgrade at the position. A smooth route runner with strong hands at the catch point, the Cincinnati transfer caught 23 passes for 258 receiving yards and five touchdowns (led team) in 2023. He's ranked as the No. 7 tight end in the portal, according to 247Sports, and provides another weapon for Shedeur.

Depth: Expect Colorado to add a tight end or two via the transfer portal.

Quarterback — Shedeur Sanders (6-foot-2, 215 pounds, senior): Like tight end, there won't be much of a competition for starting QB, and rightfully so. Shedeur set Colorado's single-season passing yards record (3,230) and threw 27 touchdowns to just three interceptions last season despite being the most sacked QB in FBS (52). A popular Heisman Trophy candidate during the Buffs' 3-0 start in 2023, Shedeur should be among the favorites to win it this time around with an improved offensive line and additional weapons.

Depth: Walter Taylor III (sophomore) transferred to Colorado alongside his former Vanderbilt teammate, Sheppard, after two years with the Commodores. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound QB is a dual-threat who played in five games last season, completing five passes for 44 yards and rushing the ball 30 times for 103 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Staub (sophomore), who started Colorado's 2023 season finale vs. Utah, and Destin Wade (sophomore), who transferred in from Kentucky, will compete with Taylor III for backup QB duties.

Running back — Alton McCaskill (6-foot-1, 200 pounds, junior)/Dylan Edwards (5-foot-9, 170 pounds, sophomore): McCaskill dealt with injuries for the majority of the 2023 season in which he rushed just 14 times for 59 yards, but the former Houston transfer was the AAC Rookie of the Year in 2021 when he set the Cougars' true freshman rushing TD record (16). Edwards had an impressive freshman season for Colorado in 2023, leading the team in rushing yards (321) and proving to be a reliable pass catcher (299 yards on 36 receptions). This duo complements each other well and could be a one-two punch that causes opposing defenses headaches.

Depth: Sy'veon Wilkerson (junior) can't be ignored in the Buffs' running back competition after he led the position in carries (78) and rushing TDs (3) last season. True freshman Micah Welch is already on campus as an early enrollee and catching the attention of his older teammates. The three-star recruit rushed for 3,759 yards and 47 TDs throughout his HS career.

Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Procter on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Projecting Colorado football 2024 offense, starters for next season