POSITION INSIDER: HOW WILL CU’S INSIDE LINEBACKERS MEASURE UP IN 2025?

While Deion Sanders believes the Colorado Buffaloes defense will be better overall this upcoming season than it was last season, there is one position group that remains a question mark — inside linebacker.  

While this may be contrary to public opinion, the truth is that average play from CU’s inside linebackers this upcoming season will be an improvement over last year’s production.  In this post, we’ll look at last season’s linebacker play and then look at who is most likely to replace LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green this season and what to expect from those players.   

So CU’s LB play last year was….not great?

The starting duo of LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green both left the Buffs this offseason, with Bentley looking to crack an NFL roster while Hill-Green surprised many (including this author) when he transferred to the SEC’s Alabama Crimson Tide in December.  Bentley and Hill-Green were the 19^th and 34^th ranked players on CU’s defense last year, per Pro Football Focus.  And while PFF scores are not perfect tools, they do provide a good data point.

Bentley and Hill-Green were both average run stoppers (they had run defending ratings of about 60 on PFF, which is just about average). However, they both struggled mightily in pass coverage.  Last year teams constantly attacked the CU defense down the middle of th field with tight end curls and “mesh,” or crossing patterns across the middle of the field.  While Shilo Sanders was typically viewed as the culprit on these plays, both inside linebackers were equally at fault. Bentley’s pass coverage score of 47.9 was among the lowest of all high usage linebackers in college football last season, and Hill-Green’s score of 51.2 was almost as bad.

The fact that CU’s defense was as successful as it was last season is a testament to Robert Livingston’s ability to scheme around players’ strengths (and weaknesses).  Hill-Green, for example, flexed out wide against slot players on only 39 snaps all season (out of over 700 plays), which made the defense very predictable from a formation and scheme standpoint but also played to Hill-Green’s strength as a run stopper.   Bentley flexed out wide on 29 snaps all season – again, making the defense more predictable.  Having a linebacker that is a true “3 down” linebacker would this upcoming season would be a real luxury to Livingston and would permit the Buffs to play less dime coverage on 2^nd down and would allow more creativity in the blitz department.  

Despite these issues, though, Hill-Green and Bentley were both okay run stoppers, particularly in the first 2/3 of the season. They wore down over the course of the season, particularly against Kansas and BYU.   I would be very surprised if Hill-Green plays material snaps next season at Alabama given some of these deficiencies.  Still, he brought the hit stick regularly and was an inspirational leader for the Buffs last year.

Who are the incoming transfers at LB?

CU is welcoming 3 transfers into the program: Martavius French from the University of Texas San Antonio, Reginald Hughes from Jacksonville State, and Kylan Salter from TCU.  As things stand, French and Hughes may be the “leaders in the clubhouse” for starting roles next season.  

Martavius French is a 6’2” 225-pound linebacker that played for three seasons at UTSA under head coach Jeff Traylor.  French played in 37 games and last year started 11 games (out of 13), finishing with a team-leading 80 tackles and 17 tackles for loss.  French is an explosive player – only 7 players had more tackles for loss nationally than French, and he was named 2^nd Team All-American Athletic Conference at inside linebacker.

French’s PFF score of 65.8 (a score of 60 is considered average) is higher than both Bentley’s and Hill-Green’s overall PFF score —- but it must be acknowledged that he was playing against a lower level of competition.  Note, however, that French’s 2^nd highest PFF score last season was against Texas, showing that he can play well against elite competition.  French’s pass coverage skills are also above average (he has 4.70 second 40-yard dash speed), which will be a welcome change given last year’s skillset limitations.  

French committed to Tennessee coming out of high school, where he was ranked the #9 inside linebacker in the country by rivals.  However, he was suspended at Tennessee for drug possession (“just” marijuana) and transferred to UTSA.  While at UTSA, French was suspended for “allegations of personal misconduct” but returned to the team three weeks later.  Colorado will need French to stay out of trouble if he’s going to fulfill his potention for the Buffaloes. 

Reginald Hughes is an interesting story – he is a true football nomad.  He started his post-high school football career at Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he was the #1 ranked LB in junior college football by 247.   He then played 2 years at Ole Miss, where he was a reserve linebacker and tallied 9 tackles during his career.  His second year at Ole Miss, however, he played in only 4 games before deciding to redshirt and enter the transfer portal.  He transferred to Jacksonville State and played one season under head coach Rich Rodriguez, where he finished with 83 tackles and 4.5 sacks and was named First Team All-Conference USA.

The 6’2” 240 pound linebacker had an overall PFF score of 64.5 last year, also higher than Bentley’s and Hill-Green’s PFF scores.  Two seasons ago at Ole Miss, he had a PFF score of above 70 in the 4 games that he played before deciding to redshirt and transfer, which is a good sign for his ability to play at this level.  With a 4.65 second reported 40-yard dash time, he too should be better at coverage than this past season’s linebackers.  

The third transfer linebacker is TCU transfer Kylan Salter.  Salter is the younger brother of transfer QB Kaidon Salter and is more of a developmental prospect than a “plug and play” player like French and Green.  While French and Green each have only 1 year of eligibility remaining, Salter has 3 years of eligibility.  He appeared in 7 games last year for the Horned Frogs, totaling 2 tackles after redshirting his true freshman year.  Coming out of high school, Salter was ranked the #58 inside linebacker in the country.

“He’s hungry to play,” Kaidon Salter said of his younger brother. “He’s had his ups and downs. He’s been pretty much hurt all his college career. Colorado giving us the opportunity, we both just want to come here and work and be the best that we can be for our team.”

Are there any true freshman LB options?

CU signed true freshman linebacker Mantrez Walker in December.  Walker was ranked as a 3-star player on 247 composite rankings, as the #833 player nationally and the #87 linebacker.  After his sophomore season, however, Rivals ranked Walker as the #145 player nationally and the #15 LB nationally — the potential reason for his recruiting fall is discussed at https://buffsblog.com/hello-mantrez-walker-welcome-to-the-black-and-gold/

Walker, who originally committed to Michigan in the greatest commitment video of all-time — please do yourself a favor and click the link below — is a strong run stopper.  

Walker comes to Boulder via Buford, Georgia. He is a big-time hitter with the instincts to play early.  However, he has room to add mass as he looks smaller than his listed weight of 225 pounds.  Walker diagnoses plays well and played at a very high level for an elite high school football team. Still, I expect that he’ll need time to continue to refine his pass coverage skills.  Additionally, while he moves extremely well downhill, his lateral movement and change of direction can improve, particularly when chasing ball carriers in open space. His abiilty to play in space will be crucial in his level of success at CU.

What should we expect from the returning LBs?

Returning linebackers include Jeremiah Brown, Jaylen Wester and Kyeran Garcia. Wester, the younger brother of former Colorado wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, was pretty good in limited opportunities last season, recording 15 total tackles, one pass breakup and a forced fumble. However, his size (6’ and 205 pounds) and skill set make him primarily suited for passing downs.  Wester struggled to hold up in the run game and is more of a safety-linebacker hybrid at this stage of his career.  If he is going to earn more minutes next fall, he’ll need to improve upon his tackling and run defense.  An off-season under new strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey will be critical if Wester wants to play more snaps next fall.

Brown has played for Deion Sanders since 2021 when the two were together at Jackson State. In two years at Colorado, he has seen most of his action on special teams.   Brown had 4 tackles last year and I expect that he’ll be a depth player and a special teams star.  Garcia is a former three-star prospect that was a late add to the recruiting class two years ago. He redshirted during his true freshman season last fall.

Overall outlook

For Colorado to get average to above average linebacker play in the 2025 season, it will need French and Hughes to stay healthy.  I expect that both will be serviceable although maybe not spectacular.  Their play should be enough to keep CU’s defense playing at a high level overall given the strength of the defensive line and defensive backs.  Still, this position could use an infusion of talent for the future. It’s imperative that CU continue to work to recruit highly ranked linebackers from the high school ranks that will be able to grow into Robert Livingston’s system — players that will make CU less reliant on 1-year “rental” players.