Colorado may have found its starting linebackers for the 2026 season.
The Buffaloes have also landed a star cornerback.
On Tuesday, linebackers Gideon Lampron (Bowling Green) and Tyler Martinez (New Mexico State) and cornerback Justin Eaglin (James Madison) announced their commitment to the Buffaloes and head coach Deion Sanders.
Lampron and Martinez were all-conference players and captains at their previous schools, and both bring experience to the linebacker room as seniors.
Lampron, whose middle name is ESPN, was first-team All-Mid-American Conference this season at Bowling Green. He was third in the MAC with 119 tackles and second with 17.5 tackles for loss. Nationally, he tied for fifth in TFLs and was 10th with 9.92 tackles per game.
The 6-foot, 220-pound Lampron, who has one year of eligibility remaining, was named a team captain for his lone season at Bowling Green.
From 2022-2024, Lampron played at Dayton, earning first-team FCS All-American honors in 2024. That season, he had 110 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks. Lampron redshirted in 2022 and was sixth on Dayton’s team with 51 tackles in 2023, despite starting just one game. He added 4.5 tackles for loss.
Martinez, listed at 6-2, 225, was limited to four games last season because of injury, which allowed him to redshirt and get another year of eligibility. He posted 27 tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and a forced fumble this season.
In 2024, Martinez earned second-team All-Conference USA honors after posting 96 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He had 22 tackles and three TFLs in 2023 as a sophomore.
Martinez began his collegiate career in 2022 at New Mexico Military Institute, posting 83 tackles and 3.5 TFLs.
Eaglin was second team all-conference in Sun Belt this year, helping James Madison to a 12-2 record and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The 6-foot, 177-pound Eaglin, who has one year of eligibility remaining, recorded 35 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups this season for the Dukes. He tied for seventh nationally in interceptions and 14th in passes defended (13).
Eaglin spent four years at JMU, redshirting in 2022 and playing in just one game in 2023. In 2024, he made three starts in 11 games played, posting 12 tackles and an interception.
Of the 16 players CU has added in the portal so far, nine earned all-conference honors at their schools this past season, while Martinez was all-conference in 2024.
Late Monday night, the Buffs also added another defensive lineman, as Tyler Moore, formerly of Coastal Carolina, committed to the Buffs. A 6-foot, 297-pounder, Moore had nine tackles and one TFL for Coastal Carolina. He played at Tennessee State in 2024.
Also on Tuesday, CU running back/receiver Kam Mikell put his name into the transfer portal. He redshirted in 2024 and then played in nine games this past season, rushing 19 times for 75 yards and catching two passes for five yards.
