Colorado Buffaloes Basketball Season: The Newcomers

Tad Boyle's recruiting class a season ago was one of the best in Colorado history and this class has set up the Buffaloes to be a mainstay at the top of the Pac-12 for years to come.

Josh Scott Fr. (6'10" 215 lbs.)

The most prized player of Boyle's incoming class, Josh Scott, is destined for big things with the Buffs. He's a serious post threat, something the Buffaloes haven't had a in a long time, and something Tad Boyle has never had. He's a special big man due to the fact that he can score with both hands and run the floor very well. Scott isn't going to overwhelm you in any facet of the game, but he has everything a coach would want out of a big man. He'll be able to make his presence known right away starting opposite Andre Roberson and although he isn't well-known in the conference yet, at the end of the year, Scott should have proved that he is one of the best big men in the Pac-12.

Xavier Johnson Fr. (6'6 185 lbs.)

The other top 100 recruit for Tad Boyle, Xavier Johnson, is a lengthy left hander who can run the floor and throw down a spectacular dunk or hurt teams in the half-court with his ability to get into the lane and score in the paint. He's a great rebounder for his size and has the potential to become an elite player for the Buffaloes. However, he's not as college ready as Josh Scott as Johnson will not be starting the season opener against Wofford on Friday. Hopefully, Johnson can become a great scorer off the bench for the Buffaloes as the season goes along or make his way into the starting lineup. Although Johnson still has his work cut out for him, he's a phenomenal talent and his combination of athleticism and size will make him a tough player to stop in his Buffaloes career.

Wesley Gordon Fr. (6'8" 215 lbs.)

Gordon is another great pick up by Tad Boyle and his defensive ability is hard to match. He provides immediate depth on the frontline for the Buffs. His offense needs work, but Gordon should make an impact all year long as the 7th or 8th man off the bench for Colorado. He also has the privilege of going against Josh Scott and Andre Roberson in practice every day, which should continue to help him improve his defense. Overall, Gordon provides great rebounding and shot-blocking, a skill no coach can ever have too much of.

Chris Jenkins Fr. (6'7" 185 lbs.)

Although the Detroit native was overlooked by every Big Ten school, Chris Jenkins has the potential to be a great player for the Buffaloes. He needs to put on weight and become more physical to make an impact, however, he's still a 6'7" knockdown shooter, something the Buffs desperately needed last year. Like most freshman, Jenkins will need time and practice to improve, but there's no question he can shoot the lights out.

Eli Stalzer Fr. (6'3" 175 lbs.)

Stalzer wasn't highly recruited out of high school, but it wasn't because he wasn't good enough. He played with UNLV's Katin Reinhardt, the 38th best player in the 2012 class according to Rivals, Colorado's own Xavier Johnson, and Top 15 2014 recruit Stanley Johnson. He wasn't able to show off often because of this, but Stalzer is a very smart player who knows when to create or score. He can shoot it well, play good defense, and is a good leader. All in all, Stalzer needs to contribute for this team to have success this year as he is the team's only true backup point guard, and he looks like he will.

Xavier Talton Fr. (6'1" 180 lbs.)

Talton is one of the few freshman who might not contribute at all this year for the Buffs. Talton is a good point guard, but he's small at 6'1" and behind everyone on the depth chart at the guard position. He has the potential to impact this team in future years, but this year doesn't seem like the year he will do it.