For much of last year, the Colorado Buffaloes dealt with significant hype, but the results couldn’t match the expectations, leading to a 4-8 record and a 1-8 start in the Big 12.
While there were a number of issues that plagued the Buffaloes, many of the issues were surrounding the offensive line, as Colorado’s offense struggled when the front five couldn’t protect star quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
As a result, the Buffaloes looked to improve the unit, looking to the transfer portal and the freshman class to bolster the group.
In 2024, all five of Colorado’s starters are new. Right tackle Philip Houston transferred from FIU, right guard Kahlil Benson transferred in from Indiana, center Hank Zilinskas didn’t start as a freshman, right guard Tyler Brown was ineligible to play in 2023 and left tackle Jordan Seaton is a true freshman.
Seaton was the prized recruit in Colorado’s 2023 class, signing with the Buffaloes as a five-star recruit and quickly taking over as the team’s left tackle during spring ball.
But, starting as an offensive lineman as a true freshman is one of the hardest positions to grasp in college football, given the step up in physicality and competition.
As expected, Seaton had a few bumps in the road as the season began, which included a rough outing in Week 2 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
However, since then, the Buffaloes have really taken a step, going 4-1 in their last five games to be at 5-2, including 3-1 in the Big 12. A big part of that has been an improved defense and the growth of the offensive line, with Seaton playing a big role in that.
It all came to a peak this past weekend for the five-star freshman, as he was the highest-graded Buffalo, earning an 87.8 pass-blocking grade, as he allowed zero pressures on 36 pass-rushing snaps against Arizona.
“Every game for us has been a growing point,” Seaton said ahead of this week, via The Ralphie Report. “Having those tough tribulations and trials in the beginning made us realize that when we’re in practice and you have those hard days when you’re thinking ‘maybe I don’t wanna do it’, you’ve gotta do it or we’re gonna lose.
“Confidence has been starting with practice. Going against those guys in practice who are getting seven sacks in a game, they really push me every single day. I feel like we haven’t faced somebody as good as those guys in practice.”
Still, even with a strong performance this past weekend, Seaton isn’t staying complacent, knowing he still has room to grow going into the second half of the season.
“Everybody said I did a good job last game, but I feel like I didn’t really play my best personally,” Seaton said. “I still got a lot to work on.”
But for Colorado the five-star freshman has been a big revelation in a positive way and he’s helped the Buffaloes get into a groove heading into the second part of their conference schedule.
Next up for Buffaloes? A matchup with the 5-2 Cincinnati Bearcats at home on Saturday evening, where Seaton will be tasked again with protecting Shedeur Sanders’s blindside, looking to put together a second-straight dominant performance.
