Ricky Freymond put fear into opposing quarterbacks across the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Is the NFL next?

The state of Colorado is not expected to be well represented in the upcoming draft. No players from CU or CSU received an invitation to the NFL scouting combine. There were zero former Colorado high school players in attendance.

The most intriguing local NFL prospect in 2026 might be an NCAA Division II standout from Western Colorado University in Gunnison. Freymond is a 6-foot-5, 265-pound defensive lineman who broke the school’s career sacks record with 29. The two-time All-American is training at Landow Performance in Centennial ahead of his likely shot in the NFL.

“It’s definitely become more of a reality,” Freymond told The Denver Gazette.

Jas Bains admits he didn’t always see this coming.

Western’s head coach, Bains revived WCU from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference basement to three consecutive D-II playoff appearances. He recruited Freymond in 2021 out of Ontario Christian (Calif.) High School. Freymond played only four games of a COVID-shortened season in 2020.

Bains saw potential on film. Freymond still redshirted as a freshman.

“He had some of the intangibles coming out of high school,” Bains told The Denver Gazette.

Freymond absorbed the mentorship of defensive line coach Jake Van Groll and defensive coordinator Todd Auer for his development. It culminated in a truly dominant junior season with 12 sacks — tied for second-most in D-II football. That production dipped as a senior when opponents adjusted for his dominant presence. He still logged 13 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

The Freymond buzz reached NFL scouts.

“I think (players) all have some ambition to play professionally. The last couple of years, it probably came to light a little bit more with the accolades, the attention and his performance on the field,” Bains said. “Around his junior year, I think we had 20-some teams come out to really look at him and our quarterback, Drew Nash. A lot of teams have come out to see them.”

Freymond is quick to praise teammates for his on-field success. But there is no denying the strength of his favorite pass rush move — the long arm.

“My get-off was good, being able to stress tackles,” Freymond said. “Then being able to get into their chest and ride them back into QBs. It was a combination of that and having a high motor. … Just being able to outlast the O-linemen.”

It can sometimes be a difficult path for small-school standouts like Freymond in the pros. Last season, a total of 39 former D-II players made NFL rosters out of training camp, according to NCAA.com.

But that list included Commanders running back Austin Ekeler — a ninth-year pro with more than 4,000 career rushing yards — who also starred at WCU (2013-16). Ekeler is proof that NFL talent can be molded in Gunnison.

“You get the stigma: ‘The kid didn’t play Division I.’ I get that part. That’s kind of a quick and easy answer,” Bains said. “But I would say that Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference are competitive. There’s been a lot of players that have gone on to the UFL, CFL, NFL or overseas somewhere. I think we’ve got legitimate players in our league here.”

Freymond is realistic about the chances of hearing his name in the NFL draft. He will need to add muscle weight to his long frame. NFL teams might ask him to transition from defensive end to the interior. Freymond is open to everything.

The most likely scenario, he said, is a priority free agent signing. The goal is to pick the best situation among interested teams when the draft concludes. Freymond will be ready to answer the call whenever it comes.

“I think I could definitely play at the next level,” Freymond said.