Who will start in the Buffs' front seven?

BOULDER —Spring is over so it’s time for some rankings.

Colorado released its annual post-spring reps chart ahead of its spring showcase, but it took on a different form; instead of building a more traditional depth chart, the Buffs just created pods of players at each position and ordered them alphabetically.

Here’s what it looked like:

I figured we should make a more traditional depth chart.

I’m going to rank the top of each position in terms of how many snaps I think each player will play (obviously assuming full health). I’ve broken the roster up into four pieces so we can go through this exercise over four stories.

Next up is the front seven:

Defensive Ends: 1. Terrance Lang, 2. Guy Thomas, 3. Chance Main, 4. Jamar Montgomery, 5. Alvin Williams

Defensive coordinator Chris Wilson has been clear that he will cater his defense to fit his best players. This year, that means switching to a 4-3, probably because of what it means for senior lineman Terrance Lang. The defense will be versatile—there will be under fronts that essentially turn it back into a 3-4—but the general idea seems to be to keep Lang out wider than in the past.

Lang lined up outside the offensive tackle nearly as much as he lined up inside him in 2021, so expecting him to break out simply because of the change is crazy. But using him to his best ability more often could help him get back to his 2019 form when he racked up 5.5 sacks instead of the 0.5 sacks he’s put up in each of the past two seasons.

Guy Thomas figures to be the other starting defensive end, leading a host of former linebackers who will have to adjust to putting their hand in the dirt in the new system. Thomas was in the midst of a breakout junior campaign before an injury sidelined him for the second half of the 2021 season. The transition should fit him well, considering he performed much better when rushing than covering on passing downs, but still covered on nearly one-third of passing plays.

From there, the competition is deep. Chance Main, a senior transfer, worked with the second unit in the spring showcase. We’ll assume he’s up next. Then we’ll go to Jamar Montgomery who figures to serve as a pass-rushing specialist. Devin Grant, Joshua Gustav and plenty of others have a case for the fifth spot here, but we’ll give it to Alvin Williams thanks in equal parts to spring hype from the coaching staff and production in the spring game.

Defensive Tackles: 1. Jalen Sami, 2. Na’im Rodman, 3. Janaz Jordan, 4. Justin Jackson, 5. Mason Maddox

The top two spots at defensive tackle are fairly set in stone. Jalen Sami and Na’im Rodman, a pair of juniors, have been mainstays on the defensive line and figure to retain those roles this season. Sami is the big clogger in the middle of the defense while Rodman has been more explosive getting into the backfield. They’re a perfect fit together.

The next two spots are pretty close to set in stone as well, with a pair of seniors. Janaz Jordan played about half as many snaps in 2021 as Sami and Rodman did. Justin Jackson lagged behind him in snaps but also missed a couple of games with injuries. It’s a veteran group at the top and the younger guys will probably have to fight for scraps this season before getting their big opportunity in 2023.

The path for an upset on the interior is making explosive plays. One of the keys for the defense this offseason has been generating more pressure in the passing game and more disruption in the backfield on running downs would be more than welcome, as well. Allen Baugh and Tyas Martin have a chance to snag the fifth spot but we’re giving it to Mason Maddox because of the disruptions he caused in the spring game.

Linebackers: 1. Robert Barnes, 2. Quinn Perry, 3. Josh Chandler-Semedo, 4. Marvin Ham, 5. Mister Williams, 6. Eoghan Kerry

The change to a 4-3 means that three of the players we’ve been calling inside linebackers will be on the field in the base scheme, instead of the two we saw last year. The three positions have their differences but we’re just going to rank the group top to bottom and assume the coaches are just going to fit the best players available onto the field.

The top spot goes to Robert Barnes, who is in his second and final season in Boulder after transferring from Oklahoma. He played the MO position last year and we can expect him to play the same role this year despite slightly different responsibilities. That’s basically the weak-side linebacker position, which means Barnes will be able to play more in space, which is his specialty.

Quinn Perry filling in at the MIKE spot after Nate Landman went down last season and is likely to fill the same job this season. He’s a tackle-first backer who is best between the tackles. The big question is whether he comes off the field on third downs or not.

Josh Chandler-Semedo is the third option after transferring in from West Virginia. With 31 starts under his belt, it’s tough to project him coming off the bench. Most of those starts came as the middle linebacker, which could make Perry sweat a little, but he should fit in just fine as the Buffs’ strong-side backer because of his versatility.

Marvin Ham worked with the starters during spring camp but is edged out by Chandler-Semedo. He could fit into either outside spot. He was used primarily on passing downs last season but could earn a starting job with improvements in the run game.

Mister Williams is probably a year away from cracking the starting lineup but could see more work in the rotation this season. He figures to fit best at middle linebacker but he’s only played 10 defensive snaps so far at CU, so it’s too soon to put him in a box.

Eoghan Kerry is a dark horse candidate to crack the rotation as a true freshman. He’s an awesome prospect to play either the strong or weak side given his coverage and blitzing ability. It’s far more likely, however, that he’s competing for serious reps in the 2023 season.