Two CU football players named as preseason All-Conference team selections

Colorado Buffaloes football is just over 50 days away, and for Coach Prime and CU, the squad is going to look a little different than the first two seasons of the Prime era. Without Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders leading the way, other players will have to step up if the Buffs want to have an even better year than the 2024 campaign that ended with nine wins and an Alamo Bowl appearance.

Two players who are poised to take big leaps in 2025 are offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and cornerback DJ McKinney. Seaton, who was just tabbed as a preseason All-American, will have the responsibility of protecting the blindside of either Kaidon Salter or Julian Lewis on the left side of the line, while McKinney will be tasked with leading the secondary after Travis Hunter was the top dog of that unit last season.

The Big 12 Conference announced its preseason All-Conference team on Monday, and both Seaton and McKinney made the cut. Seaton was the youngest player to make the cut eligibility-wise as a true sophomore, while McKinney was one of five defensive backs selected to the team.

Former CU wideout Jordyn Tyson, now a focal part of Arizona State’s offense, also made the list.

2025 Preseason Offensive All-Big 12 Team ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/ZQ4SQWUVzQ

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) July 7, 2025

As a true freshman in 2024, Seaton was instantly a force on the outside protecting Shedeur Sanders’ blindside. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound tackle received a 75.3 blocking grade from Pro Football Focus last season, a mark that beat out every other freshman tackle in the nation by at least 13 points. That came after a somewhat slow start to the season in Weeks 1 and 2, as he was getting adjusted to high-profile college ball in those two contests. Once he settled in, his PFF grade jumped all the way up to an 85.5 for the final 11 games of the season as he allowed just one hit and zero sacks on 317 snaps in pass protection.

2025 Preseason Defensive All-Big 12 Team ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/nLcde5gesH

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) July 7, 2025

In his first year for the Buffs, McKinney had three interceptions (one pick six), eight pass deflections, a forced fumble and 61 total tackles. He saw a lot of action given that the smart quarterbacks that CU faced didn’t want to throw the ball anywhere near Travis Hunter. NFL scouts are also keeping a close eye on him, as his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame combined with his physicality and ball skills should make him a talented NFL prospect.

Black Friday shopping list for D.J. McKinney:
✅ Pick it off
✅ Take it back#Big12FB | 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/dubFhzgjKm

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) November 29, 2024

Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt was named as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez was the Defensive Player of the Year.

There was no second or third team this time around, just the first team for the conference’s top players. CU was one of nine programs to have multiple players selected to the All-Conference teams.

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