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UCLA vs. Colorado: Will Pericak excels -- Type 1 Diabetes and all

CU defensive lineman Will Pericak has done well for the Buffaloes in 2012 and his coaching staff thinks he could be an NFL star as well, despite having Type 1 Diabetes.

Doug Pensinger - Getty Images

Defensive lineman Will Pericak has done well for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2012 even as the team has dropped to a 1-3 start to the season. He has been a team captain for three games, notched his first sack of the year against Washington State and has earned plenty of accolades from head coach Jon Embree. And the senior has done all of it while battling with Type 1 diabetes.

Pericak has been touted as an NFL-level player by the CU coaching staff, but nobody will know until the end of the season if he'll be ready to go to the NFL Draft. His diabetes will be a sticking point with scouts, and he has said that learning about it was a curveball:

"It's definitely a curve ball you're not expecting," said Pericak, who was diagnosed at age 15 when he was a freshman at BHS. "It has forced me to kind of watch what I do eat and know what I eat. And also the differences in how exercise affects blood sugar and how to stay on top of that and in control."

Pericak and the Buffaloes will face off against UCLA on Saturday at 4 p.m. MT as the team looks for a second win in 2012.