BOULDER — Pick a number from 1-99 and Brady Kopetz will tell you who’s worn it during his time on the Colorado football team.

Considering the Portland native is entering his fifth season with the program — one of two “OBs,” or Original Buffaloes, remaining on the roster from the pre-Deion Sanders era, along with safety Ben Finneseth — that’s quite impressive. He’s had a seriously high number of teammates during his career.

Maybe it’s the walk-on mindset that still exists in Kopetz, a tight end who was put on scholarship back in January ahead of his final season of eligibility.

Whatever it is, it’s what makes Kopetz a unique voice inside the CU locker room and his role is not something he takes for granted.

“It doesn’t matter if they never played a snap or were here for less than a month, I’m going to remember that player because they are a brother, they are a teammate and they matter,” Kopetz said. “They make a difference on this team, whether they’re on scout team, special teams, whether they’re with the twos or the ones. They deserve the same respect as the legends, the people who came out here and made it to the NFL. 

“I respect (walk-ons) the same way. When it comes to walk-ons, they come with a different perspective and a different work ethic every day and it’s good to embrace that and appreciate that.”

That attitude is one that is shared throughout the current Buffs team, in a way that reminds Kopetz of his freshman season in 2022.

Even though CU struggled on the field, going 1-11 and losing by an average of 30 points per game, Kopetz never felt like that team quit. It had a strong connection that still lives on four years later.

“That ‘22 team was very close because we all hung out with each other. Although we didn’t have the results on the field, we were a really close, tight-knit group,” Kopetz said. “This team feels like that with 100 times the talent. This team feels like we’re going to shock the world.”

Why does he feel that way?

“There’s no one on this team where if you ask them a question or come to them sincerely with something that’s on your mind, they’re not gonna blow you off,” Kopetz said. “No one is gonna tell you they don’t care. Everyone cares on this team.”

Kopetz is putting everything he has into the upcoming season. He’s doing so by preparing to feature at tight end in offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s “GoGo” system. It’s a system that utilizes heavier personnel packages, including multiple tight ends and even a fullback from time to time, which now is Kopetz.

“I love it. Being an in-line tight end is still fun and being able to block the ‘C’ gap or really get your nose dirty in line is really fun, but I’ve always loved hitting someone with a running start. I feel like that is a lot more fun,” Kopetz said. 

“Being in the backfield is a lot more fun; it reminds me of high school. Being able to get in a three-point stance in the backfield and really have a physical play and make an impact like that, nothing fires me up more.”

Kopetz is also one of the key returning special teams players for the Buffs, appearing in all 12 games and featuring on four different units in 2025. When a broken hand took away his ability to play tight end midway through last season, that became his only way to impact the game.

His efforts garnered recognition from the coaching staff ahead of last year’s season finale at Kansas State with Kopetz wearing an “L” on his jersey as one of the noted leaders on the team. That’s something Coach Prime has done throughout his tenure in lieu of nominating season-long captains.

“Part of that came down to (former wide receivers) coach Jason Phillips advocating for me. We had a team meeting where he said if he had the opportunity to vote on a captain, he would’ve picked me because of how I show up every single day and the effort I give,” Kopetz said. “As a walk-on, I wanted more than anything to have a fifth year here and be on scholarship and really make an impact on this team. When I was a (leader), that was definitely a special moment and a dream come true.”

Before his final season of college football begins, Kopetz is already living the dream. He’s officially on scholarship at CU, a school he dreamed of attending. And he will play his parents’ alma mater, Northwestern, in September, a game he says is “personal” for him.

But Kopetz has already checked off a big item on his college ‘to-do’ list after graduating with a finance degree in May. He did so alongside lifelong friends and teammates inside Folsom Field, where he’s represented the Buffs on Saturday afternoons for four years.

“That was definitely really special for me,” Kopetz said.