Welcome to another season-preview edition as we go position by position before the Buffs kick off against Georgia Tech on August 29. Think of this as a 30,000-foot view — a way for us to organize our thoughts and understand how the roster has shifted, where the strengths are, and where the weaknesses might be heading into 2025.
Today we’re talking about the edge rushers. That includes defensive ends and outside linebackers — basically the guys who set the edge and get after the quarterback. This has
been a big recruiting focus for Deion Sanders since he arrived in 2023.
Where do the edge rushers rank out of 10 position groups for 2025? Third. Honestly, you could make the case for second, but third it is. Still firmly in that upper echelon — and a big gap between them and most of the other groups.
When we say “gap,” here’s what that means: this group has guaranteed future NFL players. Not every position group can say that, but these guys can.
The Colorado Buffaloes did lose BJ Green, who was phenomenal last year, and Taje McCoy, who transferred to Oklahoma State. Both are big losses, but the depth remaining is impressive.
The key is that everyone with eligibility stayed. No major portal additions — just returning talent. This group led the Big 12 in sacks last year, and there’s no reason to expect them to slow down.
Arden Walker
Arden Walker is the leader of the entire defense. Coaches and teammates talk about his consistency, his vocal presence and how he sets the tone mentally. Stat-wise, he had 33 tackles, 7 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks last season. That’s exactly the kind of production you want from a junior before a senior-year breakout. He’s an NFL guy, no question. He has first-team All-Big 12 potential.
Samuel Okunlola – The Perfect 4-3 End
Okunlola was great last year, and he proved himself in the ACC at Pitt before that. He’s built like the perfect 4–3 end: long, athletic, versatile. He can bend the edge but also drop into space when needed. Three sacks and 7 TFLs last year isn’t eye-popping, but it shows his flexibility.
Keaton Wade
Then there’s Keaton Wade. He missed time with injury but flashed hard against Texas Tech with two lightning-fast sacks. He finished with four sacks in just six games. He’s a future pro. A healthy season from Wade makes this group terrifying.
Quency Wiggins
Wiggins has gotten a ton of hype in camp and looks ready to make his mark this season.
The freshmen are already making noise. London Merritt from IMG Academy, who flipped from Ohio State, is already getting first-team reps in camp and has the size (6’4″, 255) and polish to contribute early. Plus, another IMG product, Alexander McPherson, is waiting in the wings. That pipeline is real.
The coaching staff change matters, too. Vincent Dancy is gone to Mississippi State, and in steps George Helow, who has experience at Michigan under Harbaugh. From what’s been seen, it feels like an upgrade schematically.
Don’t expect them to miss a beat. Losing a player like BJ Green hurts, but this group could still be better overall because of the depth and development.
The expectation should be leading the Big 12 in sacks again. If they don’t, it won’t be because CU regressed — it’ll be because someone else went crazy. Texas Tech loaded up, so maybe they give CU a run. But this is still an elite edge unit.
The Bottom Line
CU has an edge group with proven production, future NFL players, and incoming freshmen who can already contribute. It’s one of the most exciting position groups on the roster.
Remember, Jordan Domineck was one of Deion’s first big wins when he arrived. Last year they added super-senior BJ Green and other portal standouts. Some have moved on, but overall, this is still a very talented group that should continue to wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
Side note: Our editor-in-chief Sam is currently either counting rice grains from a Costco bag or preparing for an Aaron Rodgers–style darkness retreat. Either way, he says it’s “battle meditation” to help CU win games. We’ll let him explain later.
