The Colorado Buffaloes surprised the football world in 2016, winning the Pac-12 South and finishing 17th in the final AP Poll, due to their outstanding defense. Somewhat lost amid the hype for the Buffaloes defense, which saw four starters drafted into the NFL, was the productivity of a talented wide receiving corps.
It seems that group will no longer go unnoticed. Athlon Sports has named Colorado’s receivers the No. 3 group in the nation heading into the 2017 season.
Says Athlon:
3. Colorado The Buffaloes return their top six statistical wide receivers from last season, which should ease the transition for new quarterback Steven Montez. Shay Fields led the team with 883 yards and nine scores, but Devin Ross (69 catches) and Bryce Bobo (44) are also All-Pac-12 candidates. Jay MacIntyre and Kabion Ento return after combining for 40 catches last year, while Juwann Winfree — a top junior college recruit in 2016 — adds depth after sitting out 2016 due to injury. Four-star prospect K.D. Nixon ranked as the No. 2 recruit in Colorado’s 2017 signing class by the 247Sports Composite and could push for snaps in a deep rotation this fall.
Impressive, no doubt.
Of the two wide receiver groups that rank above Colorado, No. 2 belongs to the reigning National Champion Clemson Tigers. No. 1 is the team that defeated Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, Oklahoma State.
That’s good company to be running alongside, considering Colorado had their first winning season in a decade last year.
With so many talented wide receivers, it seems that Colorado will be right back in the mix again this year. And the defense may not be stealing so much of the spotlight.
