Colorado State Professional Athletes

Colorado State's NFL pipeline took a hit this week as cornerback Chigozie Anusiem saw his Las Vegas Raiders training camp cut short.

The Raiders placed Anusiem on the reserve/injured list Saturday, ending — at least for now — the young CB's push to earn a spot on the final 53-man roster. The move comes during the most critical stretch of the NFL preseason, when roster battles are won and lost and the margin for error is razor-thin. For a player fighting to establish himself at the professional level, an injury at this stage is a significant setback.

Anusiem entered camp as an undrafted or depth-roster hopeful working to carve out a role in Las Vegas's secondary. The reserve/injured designation means he is ineligible to practice or play for at least the initial portion of the regular season, barring a return designation being added by the club.

The Broader Ram Alumni Landscape

Anusiem's situation aside, Colorado State has a notable footprint across the NFL heading into the 2026 season. Tight end Trey McBride remains the marquee name, anchoring the Arizona Cardinals' offense as one of the more productive players at his position in the league. His rise from Fort Collins to NFL starter has been the program's clearest success story in recent years.

Wide receiver Tory Horton is in Seattle working to solidify his role with the Seahawks, while Michael Gallup continues his veteran presence in Washington with the Commanders. Tight end Dallin Holker is in New Orleans with the Saints alongside offensive tackle Barry Wesley, giving CSU a two-man presence on that roster.

Elsewhere, punter Ryan Stonehouse and linebacker Dequan Jackson are both in Miami with the Dolphins — a pairing that quietly makes the Dolphins one of the more Ram-heavy rosters in the league. Defensive end Shaquil Barrett and linebacker Mohamed Kamara represent CSU in Tampa, while Oliver Jervis is competing for snaps on the Denver Broncos' offensive line, keeping at least one Ram close to home.

Long snapper Trent Sieg remains in Dallas, one of the more durable specialists in the league at his position, and Drew Moss is battling for time on the Tennessee Titans' offensive line.

The Anusiem news is a reminder of how precarious the path from college program to NFL regular truly is — but with more than a dozen Rams currently on rosters across the league, Colorado State's professional pipeline remains as active as it's been in years. The next few days of final roster cuts will determine how many of them are still holding jobs when the regular season kicks off.

Colorado State's NFL alumni had a week to forget. In a span of days, two Rams — Tory Horton and Chigozie Anusiem — suffered significant injuries that will sideline both players, one for an unknown stretch and the other for the entire 2026 season.

Horton's Shin Surgery Clouds Seahawks' WR Room

Tory Horton was building momentum in Seattle heading into his sophomore campaign, practicing consistently throughout training camp before missing a session earlier in the week for undisclosed reasons. The situation grew more serious from there. Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that Horton would be "out for a period of time," and the former Ram ultimately underwent surgery to repair a fractured shin.

The timeline on his return remains unclear, but the injury casts a shadow over a receiver room that was counting on Horton to carve out a larger role in Year 2. Macdonald's vague language — "a period of time" — offered little comfort to Seahawks fans hoping for a quick turnaround.

Anusiem Carted Off, Lands on Season-Ending IR

Things were even more grim in Las Vegas. Cornerback Chigozie Anusiem went down in the third quarter of the Raiders' preseason game against the Texans on Thursday night with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. He was carted off the field, and within days, the Raiders made it official: Anusiem was placed on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season before it could begin.

The IR designation removes any ambiguity. Anusiem won't factor into Las Vegas's defensive back rotation this year, a tough blow for a young player working to establish himself at the NFL level.

The Rest of the Ram Roster

Elsewhere among Colorado State's NFL contingent, tight end Trey McBride continues to be a focal point for the Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Mike LaFleur noted this week that he's squarely focused on his starters — McBride among them — as the roster takes shape heading into the regular season.

The rest of the Rams' NFL alumni — including punter Ryan Stonehouse (Dolphins), long snapper Trent Sieg (Cowboys), and tight end Dallin Holker (Saints) — had no notable injury or transaction news during the period.

For Colorado State fans, the week was defined by misfortune at the top of the alumni news cycle. Horton and Anusiem were both positioned to contribute meaningfully for their respective teams in 2026. Now, one faces a recovery race against the calendar while the other watches the season from the sideline entirely.