Buffs look to Zach Atkins to emerge as leader in TE room

Zach Atkins hauled in two receptions in the Buffaloes' Week 1 matchup against Georgia Tech but has failed to eclipse more than one in the following two games. (Photo by Hannah Howell/Sko Buffs Sports)

The Colorado Buffaloes offense has struggled in a variety of ways during the 2025 season, one being the tight end position. Transfer redshirt junior Zach Atkins has traversed a windy road to Boulder that has set him up well to lead that room. All that’s left to do now: take charge of that role.

Atkins began his journey just 12 miles down the road from his hometown of Olathe at Blue Valley Southwest high school in Overland Park, Kansas. He recorded 1,961 yards and 16 touchdowns through the air in his time there. 

However, these impressive numbers weren’t enough to catch the eye of any FBS teams on the recruiting trail. He was listed as a 0-star recruit according to 247Sports with his highest-profile scholarship offers coming from Valparaiso and Drake.

Atkins bet on himself by committing to Division II Northwest Missouri State over the two D1 programs for a better chance at playing time. His bet paid off as his performance across three seasons in Maryville made him a highly sought-after prospect in the 2025 transfer portal. 

He was listed as a 3-star transfer recruit and the No. 51 TE prospect in the class. He committed to the Colorado Buffaloes on Dec. 17, 2024. 

Now as the leading TE for the Buffs, Atkins has accomplished the childhood dream of playing Power-Four college football.

“It’s a blessing,” Atkins said at his Wednesday press conference. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed about.”

Despite that accomplishment, Atkins still has his eyes firmly fixed on the success of his team.

“I’m not happy with how things are going right now,” Atkins continued. “I’m a winner and right now we’re not doing that. We need to turn it around.”

The Buffaloes 1-2 start in the first three weeks of the 2025 season featured an offense that’s frequently been spinning its tires. The unit has lacked cohesion and leadership in a clear step-down from the 2024 team. 

“We’re not struggling, we’re getting our butts kicked,” Buffs head coach Deion Sanders said after Colorado’s loss to Houston. “We’re not successful on either side of the ball, as we would wish to be.”

While leaders surface in other position groups, the coaching staff feels like Atkins could be the one to do so for the TE room. But while he expresses traits worth following in his playstyle, he hasn’t showcased traditional leadership characteristics as a teammate just yet.

“He’s not very vocal,” CU tight ends coach Brett Bartolone said on Wednesday. “I think he would be a guy that shows his leadership traits in practice and in action.”

As Atkins continues to improve in his play, the Buffaloes hope to see him elevate his teammates in the process. His story of overcoming the odds to reach the highest level of college football has undoubtedly given him experience to pull from when doing so. While he hasn’t been known to be vocal to this point in his career, his passion and ability to fight through adversity has set the stage for him to emerge in that role in the near future.

“We need more leaders on this team,” Bartolone said. “I would love to see him step up and be in that role.”