Mustafa Johnson gets waiver to rejoin CU Buffs

One of Colorado’s champion antiaircraft linemen successful caller years is coming back.

Mustafa Johnson, who elected successful January to skip his last play of eligibility and participate the NFL Draft, has been granted a waiver to instrumentality to CU. He was reinstated to the roster connected Wednesday but is not yet eligible to play.

According to a BuffZone source, Johnson indispensable service a suspension and CU has a fewer hurdles to wide successful bid to get him eligible. It’s possible, according to a source, that Johnson could marque his play debut connected Oct. 2 against Southern California astatine Folsom Field.

After declaring for the draft, Johnson signed with an agent, but went undrafted and was incapable to onshore a free-agent declaration with an NFL team. He did person a tryout with the New York Jets but was not signed.

With 1 twelvemonth of eligibility remaining, Johnson was capable to record a waiver with the NCAA and was officially reinstated this week. He volition beryllium connected assistance arsenic a “super senior” this season, taking vantage of the other twelvemonth of eligibility granted to each players by the NCAA due to the fact that of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 6-foot-2, 290-pound antiaircraft end, Johnson was named second-team All-Pac-12 by coaches and media successful 2020. He recorded 21 tackles, 2 sacks and six tackles for nonaccomplishment during the five-game regular play for the Buffs portion adding 3 tackles and a sack against Texas successful the Alamo Bowl.

In 2018, Johnson, who came to CU from Modesto (Calif.) Junior College, was first-team All-Pac-12 when, successful his archetypal twelvemonth arsenic a Buff, helium started each 12 games and compiled 73 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 18 tackles for nonaccomplishment and 16 backmost hurries. His 73 tackles that play are the astir by a CU antiaircraft lineman since 1997, portion his 18 TFLs are the astir by immoderate CU subordinate since 1993.

A starter successful each 27 games helium has played astatine CU, Johnson is tied for 14th successful programme past successful vocation sacks (15) and tied for 20th successful vocation tackles for nonaccomplishment (29).

Johnson volition adhd much-needed extent and acquisition to a young antiaircraft line.

Juniors Terrance Lang and Janaz Jordan, on with sophomore Jalen Sami, person starting experience, but sophomore Na’im Rodman is the lone different antiaircraft lineman with overmuch experience.

Junior Justin Jackson and freshman Blayne Toll supply immoderate extent astatine end, portion redshirt freshman Jayden Simon and respective different freshmen supply extent astatine tackle.