Toby Anene
Colorado·6-4·260 lbScouting Report
A dense, high-motor edge setter with linear athleticism.
The case for
- Dense, compact 6-4, 260-pound frame built to hold up at the point of attack
- Anchor strength lets him set the edge and hold his ground against run blocks
- Low center of gravity helps him win the leverage battle against taller tackles
The worry
- Lacks flexibility at the top of his arc, which limits his ability to bend around tackles
- Hands stall too often when his first rush move does not win, showing an underdeveloped counter plan
- Shorter arms than many of the other edge rushers in the 2027 class
Full report
Toby Anene is a redshirt senior edge rusher from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, who spent four years at North Dakota State before transferring to play his final season for Deion Sanders at Colorado. He was one of the top defenders on an FCS powerhouse, starting two seasons and posting 7.0 sacks in 2025 before leaving as the Bison moved up to the Mountain West. Pro Football Network ranked him ninth among small-school prospects jumping to the Power 4 this year. At 6-4 and about 260 pounds, Anene carries a dense, compact frame, and his anchor strength and low center of gravity let him set a firm edge against the run. PFN's evaluation credits him with a good first step off the snap and a motor that runs hot on every play. The step up in competition has not slowed him much: through five games at Colorado he has 14 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble, with a sack in each of the back-to-back Big 12 games against Baylor and Texas Tech. The questions are about bend and plan. PFN wants to see more flexibility at the top of his arc and notes that his hands too often stall when his first rush move fails. Other edge rushers in the 2027 class bring longer arms and better agility, so his linear athleticism and effort currently project him into Day 3 territory.
Every strength
- Good first-step acceleration off the snap
- Relentless motor that shows up every snap, according to PFN's evaluation
- Productive at the FCS level with 7.0 sacks in 2025 at North Dakota State
- Early Power 4 production with 3.5 sacks in five games, including sacks against Baylor and Texas Tech
- Disrupts the ball, with five career forced fumbles
Every weakness
- Agility and change of direction trail his straight-line athleticism
- Most of his production came against FCS competition, and his Power 4 sample is only five games
- Saw almost no action early in his career, so he is an older, redshirt senior prospect
NFL Comps
The pros whose college production, size and testing looked most like his. The percent is how close.
Of his 20 closest coming out: 4 stars, 3 starters, 10 backups, 3 didn't stick.
Draft Movement
Down 153 spots since Jun.
Where he sits on the consensus big board, each week since Jun. Up is better.
College Stats
| Season | Team | G | Tkl | TFL | Sacks | Hur | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Colorado | 5 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
From our play-by-play, so the yards can sit a touch under the official box score.
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $157K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Colorado's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
Portal: transferred from North Dakota State to Colorado for 2026.
Every P4 player priced, math public: College players & NIL · Roster spend
Awards & Honors
PFN No. 9 small-school transfer prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft; On3 transfer portal rating 88.19 (No. 38 EDGE, 2026 portal)