Shedeur and Travis Hunter have a third 2025 NFL Draft candidate in Colorado Football

Their matchup with NDSU was successful on so many levels for Colorado football. Opening the season with a resounding win brought a bonus for Deion Sanders and Co.: The players gave a taste of what they have been working on this offseason, and Jimmy Horn Jr. proves he is a candidate for the NFL Draft.

The WR, who flew past the NDSU defense and scored a 69-yard touchdown on 2nd & 5, left spectators in awe of his speed and pass-catching skills. So much so that he quickly caught the attention of scouting agents and even sparked rumors that he was a top-10 WR pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

NFL Rookie Watch reports that Horn Jr. “is beginning to establish himself as a top-10 WR in college football and a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft” and even that he “could be just as impressive at the NFL level as Garrett Wilson.”

The star receiver of the NDSU duel caught seven passes for 198 yards and a touchdown, making him the best on his team in terms of pass catches and yardage. His 69-yard touchdown catch from QB Shedeur Sanders was the highlight of the show. No Bison defender had a chance to catch him after the catch.

The battle between CU and Bisons for the top spot on Thursday was fierce. The Buffs took an early 7-3 lead against North Dakota State, sending all the Buffs fans at Folsom Field into a state of panic.

North Dakota State's Joe Stoffel responded promptly with a 7-yard touchdown catch, but shortly thereafter Horn followed up with his legendary 69-yard touchdown, restoring Colorado's dominance.

The game was just a taste of how the Buffs have beefed up their offense. Quarterback Sanders was sacked just once this time, which is a good baseline for the Buffs offense – he was sacked 52 times last season (most in the country). The revamped O-line is still a work in progress, however, as all the new faces have yet to get up to speed.

Sanders threw for 445 yards on 34 passes against North Dakota State on Thursday. If the Buffs want to continue their winning streak (and avoid repeating history), the quarterback will need to improve his numbers and get more open against Nebraska, which could be an even tougher battle for Colorado.