By Doug Strauss
Travis Kelce is a 10-time Pro Bowler with three Super Bowl rings. George Kittle is a six-time Pro Bowler. Zach Ertz has been to three Pro Bowls and has a Super Bowl ring. But this April, the contract for the highest-paid tight end in NFL history was signed by former Colorado State star Trey McBride. The Arizona player is excelling on the field (his 221 receptions are the most by a tight end in the first three seasons of a career, and he has an active streak of 41 games with a reception entering 2025), off the field (he was the 2024 Cardinals’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year), and now in the bank.
McBride highlights the list of current NFL players who played at a college in Colorado. Two other Rams are playing on Sunday. Trent Sieg is a long snapper who is in his third year with the Cowboys after playing five seasons with the Raiders. Rookie wide receiver Tory Horton plays for Seattle. Several other Rams will hope to see some action, as cornerback Chigozie Anusiem is on Arizona’s practice squad, and linebacker Mohamed Kamara is on Tampa Bay’s practice squad. Adam Prentice, who played four years with the Saints, is now a fullback on the Broncos’ practice squad, and tackle Barry Wesley is on the Saints but is injured.
Four Colorado Buffs were selected in the 2025 draft, including the Heisman Trophy winner as the second overall pick, Travis Hunter, by the Jaguars. Shadeur Sanders is listed as the third-string quarterback on the Browns. Wide receivers Jimmy Horn Jr. (Panthers) and LaJohntay Wester (Ravens) round out the CU rookie class. Most of the veteran players from CU are defensive players. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is in his ninth season (four with the 49ers, two with the Steelers, and now in his third with the Rams). Witherspoon is 1 of 16 NFL players who have had at least one interception in each of the last six seasons. Chidobe Awuzie is another cornerback in his ninth year (four with the Cowboys, three with the Bengals, one with the Titans and now his first with the Ravens), while safety Isaiah Oliver is right behind as he is in his eighth year in the league (five with the Falcons, one with the 49ers, and now his second with the Jets).
Former Buff Christian Gonzalez is in his third year as a New England cornerback, having started 16 games last year. Nathan Landman is now a linebacker with the Rams after spending three seasons with the Falcons. Two younger players from CU are on the offensive side: Seattle’s Brady Russell enters his third year as a tight end/fullback, and Arizona’s Xavier Weaver is beginning his second season as a wide receiver.
Three Air Force players are competing in the NFL. Defensive tackle Jordan Jackson spent the past two years on the practice squads for the Saints and Broncos, but is now in his second season on Denver’s 53-man roster. Linebacker Bo Richter is entering his second season as a Viking, and Olu Oluwatimi is listed as a backup center in Seattle, but he did start eight games last year.
Colorado native and former Western State star Austin Ekeler is in his second year as a Commander running back after spending seven seasons with the Chargers. Jacob Bobenmoyer, a long snapper who went to Northern Colorado, played three seasons for the Broncos but is now in his third year with the Raiders.
During the first week of September, free-agent defensive tackle Mike Pennel was signed to the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad. An 11th-year player out of Colorado State University Pueblo, he has played in 138 career regular-season games with 25 starts for the Packers (2014-2016), Jets (2017-2018), Chiefs (2019-2020, 2023-2024), Falcons (2021), and Bears (2022). He has recorded 231 total tackles (127 solos), with 14 TFLs and five sacks.
Air Force
- Jordan Jackson, defensive tackle, Denver Broncos
- Olu Oluwatimi, offensive center, Seattle Seahawks
- Bo Richter, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
Colorado
- Chidobe Awuzie, cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
- Christian Gonzalez, cornerback, New England Patriots
- Jimmy Horn Jr., wide receiver, Carolina Panthers
- Travis Hunter, wide receiver/cornerback, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Nathan Landman, linebacker, Los Angeles Rams
- Isaiah Oliver, safety, New York Jets
- Brady Russell, tight end, Seattle Seahawks
- Shadeur Sanders, quarterback, Cleveland Browns
- Xavier Weaver, wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals
- LaJohntay Wester, wide receiver, Baltimore Ravens
- Ahkello Witherspoon, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams
Colorado State University
- *Chigozie Anusiem, cornerback, Arizona Cardinals
- Tory Horton, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks
- **Mohamed Kamara, linebacker, Tampa Bay’ Bucs
- Trey McBride, tight end, Arizona Cardinals
- Adam Prentice, fullback, Denver Broncos
- Trent Sieg, long snapper, Dallas Cowboys
- #Barry Wesley, offensive tackle, New Orleans Saints.
Colorado State University Pueblo
- Mike Pennel, defensive tackle, Cincinnati Bengals*
Northern Colorado
- Jacob Bobenmoyer, long snapper, Las Vegas Raiders
Western Colorado
- Austin Ekeler, running back, Washington Commanders
*practice squad
#injured
