Losing offensive tackle Jordan Seaton meant a lot of things for the Colorado Buffaloes, but stability wasn’t one of them.

It opened a realm of options for coach Deion Sanders to rely on along his offensive line heading into 2026. Seaton was “The Franchise,” one of the best linemen in the nation and a future first-round NFL draft pick, so shoring up his absence is key to returning numerous investments, from quarterback Julian Lewis to offensive coordinator Brennan Marion.

Offensive Line Up For Grabs After Jordan Seaton’s Departure

The Buffs now have 11 offensive linemen with starting experience, seven of whom are transfers. Many of them have spent time at power programs, giving the trenches some pedigree for the fall.

It’s a slight alteration to last year’s line, which had two starters who came in from Group of Five schools. Its most successful five had Seaton anchoring the left side with former Memphis Tiger Xavier Hill and Louisiana Tech Bulldog Zarian McGill. Zy Crisler (Illinois) and Larry Johnson (Tennessee) held down right guard and right tackle, respectively.

After all but Johnson departed, it required a portal overhaul. Their tackle room has seen four transfer additions who combined for over 1700 snaps over 23 starts last season.

Bo Hughley headlines the bunch. The former Georgia Bulldog is poised to take over Seaton’s spot after starting two games and not allowing a sack. In a win over Tennessee, he had a breakout performance and had a chance to ascend into his junior year, but he’s instead electing the Buffaloes.

MORE: Jordan Seaton Transfer Portal Could Lead Him To Big-Time Programs

MORE: Why Demetrius Hunter Could Become An Instant Starter For Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes Updated Transfer Portal Rankings

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

At 6-7 and 295 pounds, Hughley projects well to replace Seaton and could compete for the right tackle spot as well.

Another option for Lewis’s blindside blocker is Jayven Richardson, who joined the Buffs after two seasons with the Missouri Tigers. He made 16 appearances and started twice as his line’s sixth man, mostly at left tackle.

Richardson began his career at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, where he earned Division I offers from Ole Miss, Auburn, and Texas Tech. He chose Mizzou and made his first career start against South Carolina last September. He didn’t allow a sack in a win and started the next week, a thorough beatdown of UMass.

Colorado’s newest lineman is Leon Bell, who spent last season with the Cal Golden Bears after stops at Kilgore Community College and Mississippi State. The 6-8, 330-pound native of Dickinson, Texas, started once in six appearances over two years with the Bulldogs before starting eight games (583 snaps) at right tackle last season.

The Buffaloes also nabbed former Rutgers Scarlet Knights stalwart Taj White, a versatile piece with 20 starts over the last two seasons at left guard, left tackle and right tackle. He made 11 starts on the right last fall and has played over 1,500 snaps in his career.

Those names should test Johnson’s starting status from last season. The returning Phillip Houston should as well, who started at Colorado for most of 2024 before an ACL injury that kept him out of this past fall. The Buffs also added a coveted high school recruit at tackle in Xavier Payne.

Colorado football signed five players from the transfer portal on Saturday, with one of them immediately filling a need on the defensive line.

Baylor transfer defensive lineman Samu Taumanupepe flipped his commitment from Florida to Colorado. At 6-foot-3, 375 pounds, Taumanupepe significantly upgrades the Buffaloes nose tackle position. 247Sports rates him as a three-star recruit and the No. 108 defensive lineman in the portal.

Taumanupepe finished the 2025 season with two total tackles across 7 games. Before Baylor, he spent two seasons at Texas A&M, recording 6 total tackles. He now comes to Colorado with hopes of shoring up the Buffaloes’ abysmal run defense.

Taumanupepe is CU’s 13th defensive line addition, showing head coach Deion Sanders’ clear commitment toward improving one of college football’s worst offenses.

The Broncos are advancing in the playoffs after defeating the Buffalo Bills in overtime on Saturday in Denver by a score of 33-30. In eight days, they’ll host the AFC Championship game for the eighth time in franchise history.

Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen on a deep toss in overtime, quarterback Bo Nix orchestrated a drive — in which the Bills were flagged for pass interference twice — and kicker Will Lutz secured the win with a 23-yard field goal in another frantic finish for the (15-3) Broncos. It was their thirteenth comeback win this season.

There were several surprises in the first playoff game in the Mile High City since Jan. 24, 2015, including:

– A touchdown scored by a Broncos offensive lineman for the first time in the playoffs in franchise history. Tackle Frank Crum caught a pass from Nix in the second quarter and rumbled into the endzone for the first Denver touchdown of the game.

– Five turnovers created by the Broncos defense, which wasn’t known during the regular season as a unit that generated lots of turnovers.

Nix went 26 for 46 for 279 yards, with three passing touchdowns and an interception in the game. He is only the 22nd quarterback in league history to lead his team to a conference championship game within his first two seasons.

“We found a way to win again and our defense made stops,” Nix told CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson after the game. “I’m proud of our guys. I’m proud of this organization, I’m proud of the way we compete, we fight. We’re just never out of it.”

Denver will now wait until Sunday afternoon to learn their next playoff opponent. They’ll face the winner of Sunday afternoon’s battle between the Patriots and the Houston Texans in New England. That game kicks off at 1 p.m. Mountain Time.

The Broncos have played in 10 AFC Championship games previously. Seven of those have been played in Colorado — Denver has only lost one of those home-hosted championship games.

With Saturday’s win at Empower Field at Mile High, Broncos head coach Sean Payton now has 10 postseason wins under his belt, which moves him into a tie with three coaches for 16th-most postseason wins by a head coach in NFL history: Bill Walsh, Bud Grant and George Seifert.