The Colorado Buffaloes built one of the stronger linebacker rooms in the Big 12 during the 2026 offseason. But among the group is a player whose loyalty to the program may pay off in the form of opportunities to develop.Bo LaPenna has been with the Buffaloes for three seasons, and now as a redshirt sophomore, he has NFL Draft eligibility to consider. Here’s a look at the steps LaPenna must take along that path to contribute at Colorado and be noticed by NFL teams.Bo LaPenna’s loyalty may help him emerge on the Colorado BuffaloesNov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas head coach Lance Leipold during the Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches the run of play during the 2nd quarter between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn ImagesLaPenna is one of the very few returning players on Colorado’s defense. Of that group, even fewer have spent their entire careers in Boulder. In the linebacker room, Gage Goldberg is the only player aside from LaPenna who isn’t entering his first season in Boulder.LaPenna has primarily been a special teams player throughout his tenure thus far, playing 79 snaps on special teams and 4 defensive snaps across two games.Still, his development in coach Deion Sanders’s system gives him less to prove than others in 2026. With 61 new players on the Buffaloes’ roster, Coach Prime knows what he’s getting from LaPenna, while the majority of players will be trying to prove themselves.If LaPenna can elevate his game beyond what coaches already expect from him, it would likely be easier for them to give him the starting nod than some of their newcomers.How Chris Marve can develop Bo LaPenna into an NFL Draft prospectFSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020.