The CU Buffs insultingly saw just one member of their 2023 roster included in the media’s Preseason All-Pac-12 team, but that should change quickly, as West Coast talking heads become familiarized with the droves of talent brought in by Coach Prime.
Who is most likely to give those media figures a rude awakening? Let’s look.
Travis Hunter, CB/WR
The case for Travis Hunter is an extremely easy one.
He is the highest-rated cornerback recruit and one of the highest-rated recruits overall in the history of the sport. On top of that, he legitimately plays two positions for the CU Buffs, which effectively doubles his odds, and he was the only Buffalo who made the media’s preseason list.
The only knock you can really have against Hunter is that he’s never played at this level before. He was excellent for Jackson State last season, but he’ll be facing much better wide receiver talent throughout the Pac-12. As a result, he could fail to live up to the hype and fall short of expectations, but there’s nothing pointing to that now.
Alton McCaskill, RB
The most slept-on member of the Colorado Buffaloes offense is Houston running back Alton McCaskill.
He missed all of 2022 after tearing his ACL during spring practices, but don’t let that scare you off. The fact it happened so long ago means he’ll be 18 months removed from his knee injury by the time he finally steps on the field for the Buffs.
Then, when McCaskill makes his return to the gridiron, Colorado fans should expect fireworks.
The last time we saw him, he was winning AAC Freshman of the Year and was named second-team All-AAC, as he rumbled to 908 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns.
Also aiding his pursuit of all-conference honors is the fact he should be the workhorse back for the CU Buffs. He has almost every trait you would want from a running back — terrific vision and patience that’s reminiscent of Le’Veon Bell’s running style, stellar burst, amazing contact balance that makes opposing tacklers look childlike, and proven third-down ability as both a blocker and pass-catcher. The only thing he’s missing is the home-run speed, but he more than makes up for that everywhere else.
As a result, there won’t be a situation for the CU Buffs this season, at running back, that Alton McCaskill isn’t a great solution to.
On top of being extremely talented and getting the lion’s share of the opportunities, McCaskill should get to operate against some very favorable looks. Given Sean Lewis’ offense and how much talent Colorado has at quarterback and wide receiver, he should get to face light boxes at an extremely high rate, and considering his short-area quickness and powerful running style, McCaskill should devour those looks.
LaVonta Bentley, LB
Another transfer for the Colorado Buffaloes who has been wrongfully flying under the radar is former Clemson Tiger LaVonta Bentley.
Bentley joined the CU Buffs during the mass influx of talent that followed the Coach Prime hire and made an immediate impact on the defense.
After Travis Hunter and Shane Cokes, Bentley was the next defensive player to earn his jersey number. He’s also already established his role as the quarterback of the defense and one of the defensive leaders, further amplifying his importance.
“A lot of (the other linebackers) kind of lean on him because he’s played in big games at Clemson,” CU linebackers coach Andre Hart told BuffZone’s Brian Howell. “He’s been asked to come in at certain times when other players have gotten hurt; that experience is serving him well.”
Bentley joined Clemson as a coveted three-star but struggled to ever get serious playing time under Dabo Swinney, despite impressive performances as an injury replacement. That pushed Bentley to come to Boulder, where his elite talents will finally have a chance to shine.
