Jordan Seaton came to Colorado with a load of expectations as the highest-rated high school lineman in the 2024 class, and he took over a starting role on Day 1.

Cash Cleveland came to Colorado in part because there weren’t a lot of other options. He joined the team as a walk-on, worked with the scout team and didn’t take any first-team reps until a few weeks ago.

Regardless of their different paths, Seaton and Cleveland are now working together to help the No. 18-ranked Buffaloes (7-2, 5-1 Big 12) continue their pursuit of a conference title. That quest continues against Utah (4-5, 1-5) on Saturday at Folsom Field (10 a.m., Fox).

During a 41-27 win at Texas Tech on Saturday, CU had Seaton and Cleveland — both true freshmen from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. — in the lineup.

“It’s really surreal,” Cleveland said. “It’s an awesome feeling being out there with Jordan. That communication has been there since high school, so he knows when I call something what we’re doing, and that bond is never breakable.”

It’s rare for true freshmen to make such an impact on the offensive line at CU.

Seaton is only the 15th true freshman in CU history to start on the line and was just the second to win a starting job for the season opener (guard Clint Moore, in 1991, was the first).A possible freshman All-American, Seaton has been playing like a seasoned veteran of late as he protects the blind side of senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

“He’s definitely playing great, man,” CU offensive line coach Phil Loadholt said. “He’s getting better and better throughout the year. I mean, he deserves whatever he gets coming to him. He works his tail off, man. It’s an honor to coach him.”

Seaton got off to a slow start, though. According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up two sacks, two QB hits, three hurries and a whopping seven pressures in a Week 2 loss to Nebraska. In seven games since, he’s allowed one sack, no hits, five hurries and six pressures.

“He’s just continuing to get better,” Loadholt said. “He’s progressing in everything that we do. He takes it serious for a guy who’s 19 years old, so whatever consideration (for awards) he gets, I’m all for it. He’s earned it.”

CU expected that out of Seaton, but Cleveland’s emergence has been somewhat of a surprise this early in his career — and considering he’s a walk-on.

“I didn’t have a lot of (college) looks, and at the last minute, I was talking to Jordan, because I always want to follow him, no matter what opportunity I got,” Cleveland said. “Coach Phil called me and gave me a preferred walk-on (offer), and I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

CU was already set at center with sophomore Hank Zilinskas, who has started all nine games, and transfer Yakiri Walker, a 12-game starter at Connecticut in 2023. That gave Cleveland the luxury of using this year for development.

Walker didn’t crack the lineup and left the team a few weeks ago, though, and Zilinskas has developed some issues with his snaps, especially on the road.

“I don’t know what it is with him,” Loadholt said. “Maybe it’s a confidence issue, being on the road, or whatever it may be, but I treat that position like every other position. They’re gonna compete, and we’ll see who starts in the week, and we’ll see who finishes the game also.”

Zilinskas started at Texas Tech but was pulled after one offensive series. Cleveland played the rest of the game, had no issues on his snaps and didn’t allow a single QB pressure.

The Buffs still believe in Zilinskas, but Cleveland is pushing for that job.

“I know he’s confident in what he does. That showed up on Saturday,” Loadholt said. “I never had a doubt in my mind that he could do it. It’s just a matter of giving him that opportunity, and he got it, and he’s taking full advantage of it.”

A hard worker who prides himself on his preparation and film study, Cleveland is also popular among his teammates, including Sanders. Both times he’s had a chance to play — at Arizona and at Texas Tech — Cleveland has taken the field with a huge smile and a take-charge approach with making his calls to the rest of his linemen.

“I’m ready to get in there and do my thing, talking to Shedeur, making sure we got all the play calls right, making sure I’m good on snaps,” he said of his mindset going into the games. “I normally get some practice snaps in, but now that I’m going to be starting out there, we’re gonna do that pregame and get ready to get rolling.”

If Cleveland does start on Saturday, it will be the first time since 2007 that CU will have two true freshmen linemen in the starting lineup.

Cleveland, of course, knows he has to keep working to earn starts.

“It’s friendly competition (with Zilinskas),” he said. “Best man is going to play. Hank’s my dawg. We still talk every day. We sit right by each other in team meetings, at breakfast.

“We’re just gonna keep competing and whoever ever has a better practice that week is gonna play.”