Ohio State Buckeyes transfer and former 4-star high school prospect Jayvon McFadden has the chance to give Deion Sanders' football team something it hasn't had in Boulder: depth at the guard spot. The Colorado Buffaloes transfer IOL didn't prove much in his redshirt freshman season in limited snaps against the Grambling State Tigers and the Illinois Fighting Illini. Still, he could be called upon to play an important role in Colorado.
Bucknuts' Patrick Murphy acknowledged that McFadden has bulked up in the offseason but predicted that he'd be a backup for the Buffs in 2026. Murphy also claimed that, either way, McFadden is part of Coach Prime's rebuilding efforts for his offensive line.
"With four years of eligibility remaining, McFadden still has time to develop. However, he is part of the Buffaloes' effort to rebuild the offensive line. McFadden went through his first spring practice with Colorado this offseason, putting on weight to better prepare his body for the college level. While he's competing for a spot at guard with San Jose State transfer Jose Soto, Yahya Attia and Chauncey Gooden, it is expected that McFadden will be a backup in 2026," Murphy wrote.
McFadden could step into a role that hasn't really been filled in three years since Coach Prime brought "Prime Time" to CU. While through the years, Sanders has been able to find reliable guys in a pinch, like Yahya Attia and Kahlil Benson, the former of whom is back this spring, Coach Prime hasn't produced a truly long-term piece at the guard position. McFadden could be the first guy to go through the system over the span of three or four years and come out on the other side better than when he came in. Coach Prime has also never had much of a two-deep in the IOL. That's another bird that can be stoned.
Jayvon McFadden must help Colorado field a respectable run game
The Buffs have had two losing seasons in three years under Sanders because of a running game that inspires no fear in defenses. When your QB isn't performing miracles, and after Shedeur Sanders left for the NFL, pulling off miracles was no longer a feature under center for Colorado, you have to fall back on at least a decent running game to keep you competitive. Unfortunately, there's never been anything close to a special rushing performance over a full season so far under Coach Prime.
Micah Welch's 394 yards last year are a "Prime Time" era high on the ground. Dylan Edwards had 620 all-purpose yards out of the backfield in 2023. These are not standout performances in the grand scheme. It's not good for a program to fully invest in the passing game and ignore the ingredients to a strong running game when generational QBs no longer grace the locker room at Folsom Field.
Maybe McFadden can be part of the change. It's not like the Buffs will ever be a ground-and-pound offense, but they can't keep neglecting the ingredients that mark a complete team. It's those complete teams that do more than win three or four games in a given year.
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