BOULDER — Laviska Shenault Jr. is gone.

For the first time in two seasons, Colorado football fans don’t know who the go-to guy in the Buffs’ offense will be. Veteran running back Alex Fontenot is a candidate. True freshman running back Ashaad Clayton could give him a run for his money. Wide receiver Daniel Arias, perhaps the most impressive physical specimen on the team, could be ready to break out.

But the most-experienced piece of the offense, wide receiver K.D. Nixon, might be the best bet. It just so happens that Nixon has been Shenault’s right-hand man since high school days in Desoto, Texas.

“It’s not weird (without Shenault),” Nixon told reporters last week. “(Going to the NFL) is something that we always talked about that we were going to do—always take care of our families. I know he is on to bigger and better things, and I’m not too far behind him.”

Shenault was a jack-of-all-trades at CU; he lined up out wide, in the slot, at tight end, at H-back, at running back and at wildcat quarterback. He caught deep balls, ran jet sweeps, pounded the rock between the tackles, and made plays on special teams.

Nixon would appear to be at the top of the list of candidates to fill some of those roles, but he isn’t willing to say that those will now be his jobs.

“I only control the controllables,” Nixon said. “That’s a question for Coach Chev (Darrin Chiaverini). I can’t answer that. But I do know, my brother did do all of those things great. Like I said, I’m right behind him. So if y’all need someone to pick up that job, Coach Chev knows that I’m able to do that also.”

Nixon is listed on the Buffs’ roster as 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, but team rosters have been known to bolster those sorts of measurements. Just a few years ago, somebody Nixon’s size may not have been given an NFL look, but now there is a niche playmaking role that most teams are trying to fill, and it’s very similar to the role that is now left vacant following Shenault’s departure.

The Buffs’ addition this week of transfer wide receiver Michael Byrd Jr. could be a good sign for Nixon. Byrd, a 5-foot-7 speedster, likely won’t be eligible to play this season but his skill set is similar to Nixon’s and his addition could show that the Buffs view that skillset as a necessity in their offense.

As of right now, Nixon is typically ranked by draft experts at about No. 300 on the list of 2021 draft hopefuls. In a 255-pick draft, that leaves him with some work to do.

Nixon’s self-proclaimed 4.3-second 40-yard dash time would certainly help his professional case. New head coach Karl Dorrell’s extensive experience as an NFL wide receivers coach won’t hurt either.

“I feel like (the hiring of Dorrell) was a blessing for me because (the NFL) is where I want to go to, which I will, and he is a receivers coach that has coached the top receivers,” Nixon said. “Just having him in my corner, knowing that every day it is going to be a challenge, a quest, I am going to get better every day. This is a dude that has seen the greats.”

Nixon also likes Dorrell’s approach to CU’s fall camp; nobody has a starting job and every role on the team is up for grabs.

“Let’s battle, let’s see,” Nixon said. “That is something you want to hear, especially coming out of high school, that you have the opportunity to play. I wish ‘Viska and I had that opportunity to be able to play our freshman year because it would have been a whole different story. But just hearing Coach Dorrell say that nobody has starting spots, and to see that he is serious, hey, it is like the NFL. You are either going to get it done or you are not.”

So what should we expect from Nixon in his senior season?

“I would rather show you than tell you,” Nixon said.