There was a clear philosophy shift this offseason in Boulder.

In order to fix a defense that ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing defense and near the bottom of the conference in points per game allowed and sacks, Deion Sanders and his recruiting staff deviated from their typical approach of trying to bring in big-name, former top recruits that had flamed out at previous stops.

Instead, they went with players with proven production, regardless of the level.

For a variety of reasons, there are only two returners, including position change and over a dozen newcomers on the defensive line, which is now being led by Dante Carter, who was elevated following the departures of Domata Peko and Warren Sapp from the staff and George Helow, who continues to coach the edge rushers.

Young players like Brandon Davis-Swain, London Merritt and Alex McPherson were definite losses from last year’s defensive line, while others that left simply fell out of favor and struggled to garner playing time.

Among the incoming transfers on the reworked defensive front, only two come directly from another Power 4 program and the most exciting come from the Group of Six and FCS levels.

On the edge

The only two returning members on the defensive line will line up on the edge this season.

Quency Wiggins enters his third season with the Buffaloes and has yet to have a breakout campaign. At 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, the former LSU transfer looks the part, but he registered just nine tackles in 12 games last season, but he’ll likely get another shot to contribute this fall. 

Kylan Salter, younger brother of 2025 CU starting quarterback Kaidon Salter, has made the switch from linebacker to defensive end after playing mostly on special teams last fall.

Among the newcomers, North Dakota State transfer Toby Anene and Albany transfer Balansama Kamara stand out both in terms of previous production and what they were able to showcase in the spring.

Anene spent four seasons with the Bison, playing against the Buffs in 2024, contributing to a national championship in that campaign. In 2025, Anene started all 13 games and racked up 27 tackles, eight and a half for loss, to go with seven sacks and five quarterback hurries.

Kamara is also coming off a productive season at the FCS level, registering a career-high 67 tackles, 13.5 for loss and seven and a half sacks.

Others to watch on the edge are James Madison transfer Immanuel Ezeogu and junior college transfer Domata Peko Jr.

On the inside

The interior is where the Buffs added arguably their best newcomer at any position on the defense.

Tulane transfer Santana Hopper is coming off an excellent 2025 season where he played a big role in the Green Wave reaching the College Football Playoff. The North Carolina native had 31 tackles, 10.5 for loss and four and a half sacks, but it’s underlying numbers that tell the story.

Hopper was rated as one of Pro Football Focus’ most impactful defensive linemen in 2025 with a nation-leading 12 quarterback hits and 39 quarterback pressures, good for third in the country.

The other big addition is Ezra Christensen, although it is unsure whether or not he’ll be eligible to play in 2026. After a breakout season at New Mexico State, Christensen has now played four seasons of college football, but the first came at the JUCO level, so a waiver similar to one that Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia received ahead of 2025 would be needed for Christensen to play.

If he gets it, the defensive tackle who originally hails from Sierra Leone, could make a big impact. He was a PFF All-American last season after finishing with 11 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hurries and six sacks while consistently putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Appalachian State transfer Dylan Manuel also projects to have a sizable role, while Maryland transfer Sedrick Smith and San Jose State transfer Vili Taufatofua could also factor into the defensive tackle rotation.