Bizarre Xavier Weaver replacement on Colorado football pitched by analyst

Essentially Sports' Khosalu Puro pitched a bizarre potential Colorado football WR room replacement for Xavier Weaver, who declared for the 2024 NFL draft: 4-star 2025 Sultana (CA) star Lamason Waller.

"Xavier Weaver is leaving Colorado behind after leaving memories behind in the form of his speed, good catch timings, and ability to run several routes," Puro prefaced before saying, "In 2023, he finished with 68 receptions, 908 yards, and four touchdowns. And now all eyes are on his probable replacement – All-State WR LaMason Waller III."

That's a weird statement. Waller, while currently crystal-balled to the Buffs, has not committed to Colorado yet. He also wouldn't be reaching campus for another year. Weaver's replacement, you'd think, would come in the 2024 class.

Colorado football replacement for Xavier Weaver could be Will Sheppard

The new WR1 will likely be either Jimmy Horn Jr. or Travis Hunter, meaning Weaver's replacement is in-house. In terms of someone from the outside coming in and being that third head of the hydra, Vanderbilt transfer Will Sheppard certainly qualifies as an option.

Denver Sports' Jake Shapiro views Sheppard as a potential decoy for Horn, Hunter, and Shedeur Sanders which is not exactly the role Weaver had.

"Sanders set the record for passing yards in a season in school history and fell just shy of the program’s passing touchdown mark," Shapiro wrote. "He’ll have a chance to replicate that season and do even better, with more time in the pocket and less chance of being hit thanks to some giant bodies up front that his father has added to the roster. Both Sanders and Hunter should be Heisman candidates next season and the addition of Sheppard gives one another weapon and the other decoy to take some pressure off."

However you label CU's receiving corps and what roles you assign within it, you have to acknowledge the Buffs' reload knowing they'd be losing Weaver.