Colorado Recruiting Class of 2016

 

Pookie Maka – DE/LB

Just the facts … Committed January 31st … Pookie Maka is a 6’3″, 200-pound linebacker from Murray, Utah. Maka runs a reported 4.65 in the 40  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Maka … Maka is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Maka rated as the 38th-best linebacker in the nation, and the fifth-best prospect overall out of the state of Utah this season. Scout has Maka as the 135th-best defensive end in the nation, and the 20th-best defensive end in the west.

Maka had other offers from … numerous other Power-Five schools, including Utah, Arizona State, Washington, Oregon State and Washington State from the Pac-12. Other offers were from schools such as BYU, Missouri, and Wisconsin. In December, Maka tweeted that his final five were all from the Pac-12: Utah, Washington, Oregon State, Washington State, and Colorado.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Maka in action.

 

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Patrick Taylor – RB

Update … De-committed on January 28th … Gave his commitment to Memphis …

Just the facts … Committed August 3rd … Patrick Taylor is a 6’3″, 211-pound athlete from Humble, Texas, who runs a reported 4.43 in the 40 Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Taylor … Taylor is considered to be a two-star prospect by Rivals, but a three-star prospect by Scout. According to Scout, Taylor is the No. 15 running back out of the state of Texas this year, and the 88th-highest rated running back in the nation.  From Scout: “Taylor is a big back, but showed at the camp (and some on his film), that he can be versatile catching the ball out of the backfield. For a player of his size, that can create plenty of mismatches, especially in the open field against smaller secondary players”.

As a junior, Taylor had 108 carries for 708 yards (a 6.6 yards per carry average) and nine touchdowns for the 9-2 Eagles. Taylor also collected 13 receptions for 137 yards. For his efforts, Taylor was named first-team All-District.

As a senior, Taylor had 214 carries for 1,431 yards (a 6.7 yards per carry average) and 20 touchdowns for the 11-2 Eagles. Taylor also had 17 for 190 yards and two more touchdowns. Taylor was again named first-team All-District.

Taylor had other offers from … no other Power-Five schools, but did have offers from schools like Colorado State and Texas-San Antonio, as well as future CU opponents like Nicholls and Texas State. Taylor did have interest from schools like Utah, Northwestern and Baylor.

In his own words … “I would describe myself as a one-cut back,” said Taylor. “I actually compare my game to (Pittsburgh Steelers RB) Le’Veon Bell. He’s a smooth runner, I’m a lot like that … What I’m looking for in a school is a good coaching staff. The offense that is run is important. Also, there needs to be good education options”.

“It is a dream come true,” Taylor told the Houston News after his commitment to Colorado. “I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I first laid my hands on a football”. When asked why he chose Colorado, Taylor responded: “I feel that they are turning Colorado around … And the family bond the coaches and players have.”

 

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Drew Lewis – LB (Junior College)

Just the facts … Committed January 27th … Lewis is a 6’2″, 224-pound linebacker originally from Redmond, Washington, but is coming to Colorado from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas (Rivals bio) (Scout bio)

What others say about Lewis … Lewis is considered a two-star prospect by Rivals, but was a three-star prospect out of high school. A member of the Recruiting Class of 2014, Lewis signed with Washington, going with the Huskies over schools like Arizona State, Washington State and Pittsburgh. After sitting out his red-shirt season in 2014, Lewis was dismissed from Washington last July for “violation of team rules“, transferring to Coffeyville Community College for the fall.

This past fall, Lewis was fifth on the team with 63 tackles (25 solo), three sacks, and two tackles for loss.

Lewis had other offers from … Memphis, Utah State, Arkansas State and UAB. Lewis’ stock may have fallen as does come to Boulder with some baggage.

 

 

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Ca’Ron Baham – CB

Just the facts … Committed January 21st … Baham is a 5’11”, 180-pound athlete from Marrero, Louisiana (John Ehret). Baham runs a reported 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Baham … Baham is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, listed as the No. 55 “athlete” nationally, and the No. 36 player overall out of the state of Louisiana. Baham did not play most of his senior year after suffering a torn ACL in the season opener, but he is claiming to be “ahead of schedule” on his rehabilitation, and plans on being “100 percent” when he enrolls at Colorado this summer. While being recruited as a cornerback by Colorado, Baham played quarterback as a junior. During his junior season with the Patriots, he rushed for 1,750 yards and 27 touchdowns and threw for 1,080 yards and 10 touchdowns. Baham comes to Colorado from the same school which produced Kordell Stewart, arguably the best quarterback in CU history.

Baham had other offers from … several other Power-Five conference schools. Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and Missouri all offered, as did schools like Southern Mississippi, Tulane, and Memphis. Baham committed to Missouri in May, but reopened his recruitment after Tiger coach Gary Pinkel retired due to health concerns. Baham took his official visit to Colorado the weekend of January 14th-16th.

In his own words … “First off I would like to thank the man above for blessing me with my talent and ability to enjoy the great sport of football,” Baham wrote in a message posted on his Twitter page. “After discussing my options with family and coaches I have decided to continue my career/education for the next 3 to 4 years at Colorado University.”

Here are Hudl.com highlights from Baham’s junior year.

 

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Colby Pursell – OT (likely Gray-shirt – Class of 2017)

Just the facts … Committed January 18th … Colby Pursell is a 6’3″, 289-pound offensive lineman from Newhall, California (Hart) Rivals bio Max Preps

What others say about Pursell … Pursell is rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals, but was not in the Scout database when he committed. Pursell did make the Los Angeles TimesHigh school offensive linemen to watch” list this past August (noting Pursell had received an offer from Colorado last summer). Pursell was named second-team All Santa Clarita Valley in his senior season by signalscvsports.com.

Pursell had other offers from … only Army and Cal Poly. The only positive to take from this offer sheet is the fact that Pursell will not be an academic risk. It would also be a selling point from a gray-shirt standpoint, as the extra time with the books might be appealing to a player with a strong academic future.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights from Pursell’s senior season.

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Sheriron Jones – QB – Transfer from Tennessee

Update … January 22nd … CU Releases Jones from Scholarship; Jones returning to Tennessee …

Just the facts … Committed January 7th … Sheriron Jones is a 6’3″, 190-pound quarterback from Moreno Valley, California Rivals bio Scout bio … high school highlights from Hudl.com

What others say about Jones … As a member of the Class of 2015, Jones was rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals listed as the No. 10 dual-threat quarterback in the nation, and the No. 31 player overall in the state of California. Scout ranked Jones as the No. 18 quarterback in the country.

“He can really spin it”, Pete Duffy, Jones’ high school coach, told the Daily Camera. “He’s a thrower that can run; he’s not a runner that can throw. He’s also got huge hands, so he can play in the rain and the snow and it’s not going to affect him … If I were the (other quarterbacks on the CU roster), I would probably be a little nervous. He’s a legitimate Elite 11 guy that’s got all of the tools … He’s going to be very good. He’s the real deal.”

Accolades (from the Tennessee website):

  • Lettered at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno, California for coach Pete Duffy
  • 247 Sports: 4-star (No. 7 dual-threat quarterback, No. 31 prospect in California)
  • ESPN: 4-star (No. 6 dual-threat quarterback, No. 26 prospect in California)
  • Rivals: 4-star (No. 10 dual-threat quarterback, No. 31 prospect in California)
  • Scout: 4-star (No. 18 quarterback, No. 7 quarterback in California)
  • Member of ESPN 300
  • Selected to play in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl
  • Attended the 2014 Elite 11 Camp in Oregon
  • Threw for more than 2,000 yards as a senior with 24 passing touchdowns
  • Led the Mustangs to a 10-3 record and second round of state playoffs in 2014

Jones had other offers from … multiple Power-Five conference schools. Jones had offers from – amongst others – both Arizona schools, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Florida, Indiana and Maryland. Jones took an unofficial visit to Colorado last February. Jones committed to Florida in June of 2014, but de-committed in December, citing a lack of communication from the Gators. On January 8, 2015 – just a year ago – Jones committed to Tennessee.

In his own words … From the Daily Camera … “Basically I’m just hoping I have an opportunity to compete for a job,” Jones said. “I have to sit out a year and compete for the job next year. I just hope I can get an opportunity to play down there” … On his recruitment by CU head coach Mike MacIntyre last recruiting season: “He made a great impression on me and I’ll never forget it,” Jones said. “I thought of him and I was like, ‘I really want to be in that program.’ ”

On the reasons for leaving Tennessee … from the Knoxville News Sentinel: “Really, he just wanted to get back out west and play in the Pac-12,” said his former high school coach, Pete Duffy, who is now the offensive coordinator at Murrieta Valley High School in Murrieta, Calif. “All of those schools are right here and they’re closer to family.”

Was the depth chart at Tennessee the issue? … Jones was behind junior Joshua Dobbs and fellow freshman Quinten Dormady on the depth chart. The Vols have a verbal commitment from New Jersey quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, the top-rated dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2016.

Duffy said that the quarterback logjam did not affect Jones’ decision.

“He knew what the situation was with Dobbs, so that didn’t affect anything,” Duffy said. “He just wanted to be closer. Everything was good. He had a good time there. He had a good time. He had good support there. He just wanted to go in another direction.”

 

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Buffs lose their top-rated recruit, defensive back Craig Watts

In a tweet from St. Petersburg defensive back Craig Watts, the Buffs lost their highest-rated recruit from the Class of 2016.

The Watts’ tweet:

thought and research that I’m rescinding my verbal commitment to Colorado. I’ve been wrestling with this decision for a few months now and I really wanted it to work out. But however I do not think its fair to Colorado or myself that I remain committed when its not in my heart. I will be taking my last three official visits this month and ultimately making a decision on Signing Day. I will not be commenting any further on my recruitment until after I submit my letter of intent on signing day” …

Below is the Watts’ profile:

Craig Watts – DB – De-committed January 2nd

Just the facts … Committed September 27th … Craig Watts is a 5’10”, 181-pound defensive back from St. Petersburg, Florida. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Watts … Watts is considered to be a four-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Watts as the No. 41 prospect overall from the talent-rich state of Florida this year, while Scout has Watts as the No. 3 safety in Florida, the No. 8 safety in the South, and the No. 22 safety in the entire country.

An evaluation from Scout.com … Watts is outstanding against the run where he plays close to the line of scrimmage. Attacks ball carriers and makes plays sideline to sideline. At 5-11, 190, he has a well built frame and is strong. 10 years ago was would have been an ideal Strong Safety, the game has changed, and Watts figures to play some type of Safety/Linebacker role depending on how he physically develops. Good athlete with instincts.

From Florida Recruiting analyst Corey Bender … Watts is a well-rounded safety who does well in both the run and the pass. He’s probably better right now supporting the run, coming up in the box and making tackles. The thing with him that I like a lot from watching film and seeing him play is the majority of the time he wraps up well on defense. He’s got good instinct and anticipation. He’s a legit four-star recruit and likely a strong safety. He needs to definitely improve his coverage skills, but he is a big time talent who plays with his heart on his sleeve. He gets jacked up when he plays, high fiving his teammates and gets real animated. He really loves the game of football and really does it all on film. He’ll do a little bit of everything and will probably play sooner rather than later.

Watts had other offers from … all over the country. Want a sampling from the list of the suitors? Try Alabama, Arizona, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and Wisconsin … over three dozen Power-Five conference schools.

The most important school on the list is Wisconsin. Watts committed to the Badgers back in June, but less than a month later, he reopened his recruitment. Watts took an official visit to Colorado the weekend of the Nicholls game, and committed during his visit.

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Kabion Ento – WR – Junior College

Just the facts … Signed December 16th … Kabion Ento is a 6’3″, 175-pound wide receiver from East Central (Mississippi) Community College. Rivals bio

Ento had other offers from … well, hardly anyone. Toledo was the Buffs’ chief competition, with other offers from schools like Jacksonville State, Tennessee-Martin, Southeast Missouri State and Northwestern State.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Ento in action.

Press release from cubuffs.com … University of Colorado head football coach Mike MacIntyre announced Wednesday the signing of Kabion Ento, a top junior college wide receiver prospect, to a letter-of-intent.

Ento, 19, played two seasons at East Central (Mississippi) Community College, earned first-team South All-State honors this past fall from the MACJC (Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges). The honor also netted him first-team honors on the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 23 Team.

He will enroll at CU in January with plans to major in Education, and thus in time to participate in spring practices; he will have three years to play two in eligibility.  Junior college recruits were allowed to sign with four-year schools starting Wednesday.

“Kabion is tall and rangy, and one of the things he does really well is that he can go up and catch the ball with people around him,” MacIntyre said.  “We’re excited about having him join us this spring at the receiver position.”

As a sophomore, Ento helped ECCC to an 8-3 record under coach Ken Karcher, its best season since 1999 as the Warriors finished year ranked as the No. 10 team in NJCAA.  He had 38 receptions for 607 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 16.0 yards per catch; his long play was a 79-yard touchdown against Mississippi Delta.  He had 21 receptions for 278 yards (13.2 per) and two scores as a freshman.

One of his best games this past season came in a 28-19 win over Hinds, when he had six receptions for 106 yards and two scores.  He also hauled in five passes for 132 yards and a touchdown in a 46-13 win over Coahoma, and in a 30-14 loss to Mississippi Gulf Coast, he had eight catches for 88 yards and both ECCC touchdowns.

Ento played a key role in the Warriors to a 35-21 win over No. 20 Kilgore (Texas) College in the Heart of Texas Bowl to close the season.  He caught three passes for 44 yards, which included a 38-yard TD catch late in the third quarter that all but sealed the victory.

He played his prep ball at Dollarway High School in Pine Bluff, Ark., where he was an all-state performer in three sports: football, basketball and track.  As a senior, he helped Dollarway to a 13-1 record and the 4A state semifinals in making 30 catches for 650 yards with 12 touchdowns; on defense playing cornerback, he had eight interceptions, two returned for scores, with 15 pass deflections.  A three-year starter on both sides of the ball for the Cardinals (he also played some free safety), he had over 1,500 career receiving yards with 13 interceptions.  He was the defensive player of the year for the Southeast Arkansas region as a senior.

He played small forward on Pine Bluffs’ basketball team and participated in sprints and jumps in track (a career-best 6-9 in high jump, which earned him second in the state as a senior).

 

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Hunter Vaughn – OT (Gray-shirt – Class of 2017)

Just the facts … Committed November 14th … Hunter Vaughn is a 6’8″, 260-pound offensive lineman from Parker, Colorado (Legend) Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Vaughn … Vaughn was unrated by either Rivals or Scout at the time of his commitment. He is another “project” which Colorado coaches hope works out. Vaughn is only 17, and will have the next year-and-a-half to grow into his body, enrolling in January, 2017, seeing his first action during spring ball of that season.

One other benefit, from a numbers standpoint … space in the Colorado recruiting Class of 2016 is limited, while there will be a full Class in 2017.

According to Scout, “Vaughn is a physical run blocker that has improved this past season adding weight and playing with leverage.  Vaughn is also athletic and has the skill set to, in the future, be a left tackle”.

Vaughn had other offers from … only Wyoming and South Dakota. Not great, but if Vaughn fills out into his 6’8″ frame, he still has five years to become the next great offensive tackle at Colorado.

 

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Chance Lytle – OT

Just the facts … Committed October 26th … Chance Lytle is a 6’7″, 291-pound offensive lineman from San Antonio, Texas  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Lytle … Lytle was unrated by either Rivals or Scout at the time of his commitment. At an “Under the Lights” camp in July, Lytle performed well enough to draw this review from Scout.com: “Lytle possesses a fantastic frame for the tackle position at 6-foot-6, 285 pounds. He has long arms and knows how to use them. Lytle displayed impressive footwork in keeping edge rushers at bay during Saturday’s 1-on-1 action”.

Lytle had other offers from … only Rice, though there were other schools who reportedly had shown interest, including Baylor, Texas, and TCU.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Lytle in action.

 

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Anthony Julmisse – Ath/RB

Just the facts … Committed October 2nd … Anthony Julmisse is a 6’0″, 180-pound athlete from Plantation, Florida. He runs a reported 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What the others say about Julmisse … Julimisse is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals and Scout. According to Scout, Julimisse is the 11th-best running back prospect out of Florida this recruiting Class, and the 90th-highest rated running back in the nation. According to Scout, “Julimisse does a good job of planting his foot in the grass and making defenders miss with a juke. Julmisse is a patient runner that lets his blocks set up as well”.

Julimisse is the teammate of wide receiver commit Johnny Huntley (see bio, below). The pair took their official visit during the weekend of the Oregon game.

Julmisse had other offers from … over two dozen other schools. Included on the list were Power-Five conference schools Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon State, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, West Virginia and Wisconsin. It appeared that Wisconsin was one of the leaders for Julmisse’s services, but his trip to Boulder with Huntley sealed the deal.

Here is a link to Julmisse’s Hudl.com highlights …

 

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Johnny Huntley III – WR

Just the facts … Committed August 4th … Johnny Huntley III is 6’3″, 190-pound wide receiver from Plantation, Florida. Huntley runs a reported 4.58 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Huntley … Huntley is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals as Huntley as the No. 69 wide receiver in the nation this year, and the No. 61 recruit out of the state of Florida overall. Scout has Huntley as the No. 61 wide receiver in the country, the No. 25 wide receiver in the south, and the No. 13 wide receiver out of Florida.

Huntley had other offers from … everywhere! Now this is an offer sheet Buff fans can enjoy sifting through. Over two dozen schools had offered Huntley, including: Cincinnati, Clemson, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Purdue, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, TCU, Tennessee, West Virginia and Syracuse.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights from Huntley’s junior year.

… Much more on Mr. Huntley as the afternoon progresses …

 

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Trey Udoffia – Athlete

Just the facts … Committed August 1st … Trey Udoffia is a 6’0″, 175-pound athlete from Loomis, California, who runs a recorded 4.73 in the 40 Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Udoffia … Udoffia is considered to be a three wide receiver prospect by Scout, but only a two-star athlete by Rivals.  Scout has Udoffia as its No. 156 wide receiver in the nation, the 30th-best wide receiver in the west, and the No. 23 wide receiver out fo the state of California.

Recruited by Colorado as a defensive back, Udoffia may also play at wide receiver when he comes to Boulder. For the 6-6 Golden Eagles last season, Udoffia had 48 catches for 924 yards and ten touchdowns. On defense, Udoffia had 33 tackles and three interceptions (and keep this in mind … as a sophomore, Udoffia had 581 yards as a kick returner, and 234 yards as a punt returner). Last winter, Udoffia had a 12.3 points per game for the basketball team, averaging 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Udoffia had other offers from … Over a dozen other schools. Washington State from the Pac-12 was on the list, along with a number of Mountain West schools like San Diego State, San Jose State, Utah State and Wyoming.

In his own words … Udoffia, from the Sacramento region, has called Cal his “dream school”, but the Bears have yet to offer. “When I went during the season, to a Cal game, I was like, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’ and when we saw our schedule, and we were playing at Cal, I was so excited,” Udoffia told BearTerritory.net. “I just can’t wait to step on that field and play”. Udoffia’s team plays at game on the Bears home field to start the season, so don’t count out Cal making a push for Udoffia’s services this fall.

That being said, Udoffia was “blown away” when he visited Colorado just before his commitment. A free story at BuffStampede.com on Udoffia’s visit can be found here.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights from Udoffia’s junior year.

 

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Ronnie Blackmon – CB

Just the facts … Committed July 8th … Ronnie Blackmon is 5’10”, 174-pound cornerback from Atlanta, Georgia  Rivals bio

What others say about Blackmon … Blackmon is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals and Scout. He is ranked by Rivals as the No. 49 cornerback in the nation, and the No. 56 player overall from the state of Georgia. Scout has Blackmon as the No. 97 cornerback in the country, the No. 30 cornerback in the South, and the No. 6 cornerback out of the state of Georgia.

Last season, for the 10-2 Westlake Lions in Atlanta, Blackmon had 20 tackles (19 solo), with four interceptions and a fumble recovery. On offense, Blackmon had 24 receptions for 377 yards and four touchdowns. In 2013, Blackmon was a second-team All-American on MaxPreps sophomore All-American team. Last fall, for the 3AAAAAA Region (honest, check it out) champions, Blackmon earned first-team region honors as a kick returner, as well as second-team honors as both a wide receiver and defensive back.

Blackmon had other offers from … over a dozen other schools, many from Power-Five conferences. Blackmon had offers from Arizona, Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Louisville, Missouri, Syracuse, Wake Forest and West Virginia. Blackmon originally committed to Boston College in February

Here is a link to Blackmon’s junior year highlights from Hudl.com.

 

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Akil Jones – LB

Just the facts … Committed June 27th … Akil Jones is a 6’1″, 213-pound linebacker from San Jose, California  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Jones … Jones is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but only a two-star prospect by Scout. 247Sports lists Jones as a three-star prospect, the 122nd-best outside linebacker in the nation, and the 190th-best player overall from the state of California this recruiting cycle. Jones has been timed at a 4.86 in the 40, with a 4.29 in the 20-yard shuttle and a vertical jump of 26.8 inches.

Last season, for the 8-4 Valley Christian Warriors, Jones had 35 tackles (17 solo), with 4.5 sacks.

Jones had other offers from … several Mountain West schools, including Utah State, San Diego State, Wyoming and UNLV. Pac-12 schools such as Utah and Oregon State also had Jones on their radar.

In his own words … On his relative lack of size (6’1″, 213-pounds) for the position of outside linebacker – “A lot of linebackers, they are good on size and stopping the run. But I see a lot of fault in the pass when they try and lock up on the running back. Most linebackers don’t have the right speed. I believe, with my generation that I could come in and really change that up”.

Jones’ tweet upon committing to the Buffs: “First off, I want to thank God. Thank you for all of the blessings you have given me. I would then like to thank all the coaches who saw talent in me to recruit me. May you guys have a blessed season; and I wish you guys the best of luck. But after talking to God, my family and coaches, I’ve decided to commit to the University of Colorado. #CUin16”.

Here is a link to the YouTube highlights from Jones’ junior season.

 

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Terriek Roberts – OL

Just the facts … Committed June 21st … Terriek Roberts is a 6’6″, 255-pound offensive lineman from South high school in Denver. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Roberts … Roberts is considered to be a two-star prospect by Rivals, but a three-star prospect by Scout. According to Scout, Roberts is the best offensive tackle out of the state of Colorado this year, the 14th-best tackle in the west and 75th-best offensive tackle in the nation.

From Scoutfootball.com … Right off the bat, that is a good thing Roberts is long, lean and athletic. The tools are there. Can play either tackle spot but has the athletic ability to stay at left tackle. Very long arms help him gain separation in pass pro. Runs well and can bend. Plays on both sides of the ball and I am a fan of offensive line prospects that are athletic enough to contribute on defense in high school.

Roberts had other offers from … a number of schools, including at least a pair of Power-Five conference schools. Arizona State, Kansas, Colorado State, Wyoming, Nevada, San Diego State and Utah State all reportedly offered Roberts.

In his own words … From PrepColorado.com … Talking about making his commit Roberts stated, “I just feel like I want to prove to the nation that Colorado athletes are slept on and what better way to do it than staying in state.” Further, Roberts says, “Just felt like Colorado was a good fit” … About what he brings to the Colorado football program Roberts says, “I feel like I bring a physical hard working guy that will help them win games.”

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights from Roberts’ junior season.

 

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Derrion Rakestraw – WR

Just the facts … Committed June 11th … Derrion Rakestraw is a 6’3″, 175-pound wide receiver from Canton, Georgia. Rakestraw runs a reported 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio

What others say about Rakestraw … Rakestraw is considered to be a two-star prospect by Rivals, and is not yet in the Scout database. 24/7 Sports rates Rakestraw as a three-star player, listing him as the No. 189 wide receiver nationally.

Rakestraw put up solid numbers as a junior. On a team that rarely passes the ball, he had 51 catches for 659 yards and five touchdowns. His receiving yards were more than half of the team’s total in 2014, and was voted first-team All-County. On defense, Rakestraw had 42 tackles (36 solo) and two interceptions. Other stats … a 4.10 in the shuttle; a 32″ vertical; 215-pound in the bench press; and 335 pounds in the squat.

“He’s just a great kid with his size, his speed, and all the other things he has football size,” his coach, James Teter said. “But what most people comment on is his attitude through all of this. He’s been very, very humble.”

Rakestraw had other offers from … over a dozen schools, but none from a Power-Five conference school. Rakestraw did have interest from a number of schools, including Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Minnesota and Missouri. Rakestraw also attended camps at Duke and Vanderbilt. As to actual offers, Rakestraw had scholarship offers from schools like Georgia Southern, Miami (OH), and Appalachian State.

In his own words“The place really sold itself,” Rakestraw told the Cherokee LedgerNews. “The campus is great. They are building a new facility and I really like the coaches. I love it. I’m real excited”. While some of the pressure to perform might be gone, Rakestraw doesn’t plan on taking a break. “I’ve got to keep working just as hard,” he said. “I’ve got to train and workout hard and everything.”

From NCSA Sports … “I have played football since I was 6 years old. Over the years my love for the game has grown stronger. I have always had the dream of going to one of my favorite colleges and playing the sport I enjoy. I know that having the goal of playing college football  is not easy. My freshman year I was introduced to a higher level of the game in have the opportunity to play varsity my freshman year. I knew I had to work hard and was willing to do so.

“During my sophomore season, I was a starter on varsity and was also chosen to be one of the team leaders. My development in the game has made me realize and believe in my potential. I have been working hard to improve my academics, strength and speed. My dreams of playing college football is right ahead of me and I am working hard to make that dream a reality in the classroom and on the field”.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights from Rakestraw’s junior year.

 

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Sam Noyer – QB

Just the facts … Committed June 2nd … Sam Noyer is a 6’3″, 193-pound pro-style quarterback from Beaverton, Oregon. Noyer runs a reported 4.72 in the 40-yard dash. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Noyer … Noyer is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Noyer as the No. 4 player overall out of the state of Oregon this cycle, while Scout has Noyer as the No. 18 quarterback out of the west, and the No. 70 quarterback overall. As a junior for a the 5-5 Beaverton Beavers, Noyer completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,697 yards and 19 touchdowns.

“Recruiting for quarterbacks is mostly done off your junior year. He’s got the most professional build of any quarterback that was in this group, that’s in the Northwest right now,” private quarterback coach Taylor Barton told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “He’s got that long frame, long arm. He’s kind of got that NFL body, and he’s got a rocket arm. He’s got some things, mechanically, that he’s got to clean up, and he’s willing to work on it. Sam Noyer is the one, I think, by next year is going to be not only one of the top quarterbacks in the Northwest, (but) one of the top quarterbacks in the country.”

Noyer had other offers from … Hawai’i, Wyoming and Eastern Washington, though numerous Power-Five schools, including Oregon State, Arizona State, Nebraska, and Oregon were at least recruiting Noyer.

In his own words … “Obviously, it’s a blessing. I’m honored to have this opportunity,” Noyer told The Oregonian/OregonLive upon his commitment. “I want to thank all of the programs who took a chance on me, but at the end of the day Colorado is the place I want to be to further my education and football career.”

… “From the very beginning, when (Colorado) offered me, they showed how much they wanted me,” Noyer said of his unofficial visit to Boulder in May. “It began with them wanting me to get out there as soon as I could to see the place, and the fact that they made everything personalized to me… they took me on a tour of campus and I got to spend a lot of time with coaches. What really made it obvious was the fact that Coach (Mike) MacIntyre was with me and my father a lot, like an hour, a couple of hours. It made everything just so easy at that point.”

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights of Noyer.

Here is a YouTube video on Noyer with an interview and highlights from Noyer’s junior campaign:

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60 Replies to “CU Recruiting Class of 2016”

  1. great all we need is a couple more nice surprises .wow Stuart is it possible to get a 4 star running back and still stay within the amount of recruits we can take this year? I know I`m jumping the gun here he could recommit to Pitt.

    1. CU only has to be at 85 scholarships come August 1st. There will be plenty of time for attrition and manipulation of the roster this spring and summer.
      If the Buffs can get these signatures, they will find a way to make room on the roster …

        1. To follow up … Brian Howell at the Daily Camera tweeted today that Coach MacIntyre has indicated that there are four 5th year seniors who will be graduating and not participating this fall.

          That will free up this Class to sign up to 20 or so … plenty of room for a nice 4-star wide receiver or running back!

  2. love this time of year just because of the recruiting that goes on. hopeful that we will have some good surprise signing this year. does any one know how many recruits we can sign next year?

    1. The maximum allowed by the NCAA is 25, but many schools (see: SEC) over-sign. The rulebook has multiple loopholes, with some players graduating and signing early (and assigned to the earlier class) or gray-shirting (and assigned to the next class).

      After years of being loaded with under-classmen, the Buffs are stacked with upper-classmen on the current roster, with around 25 juniors and 25 seniors. The next two classes will be defining CU’s success into the next decade.

    1. From all accounts, it went well, but it’s still far from a done deal.
      Webb will be visiting Auburn in February, and is not expected to announce his decision until March. Even then, nothing is official until he graduates in May and signs his paperwork with the school of his choice.

      1. Yo Stuart, as Jones has demonstrated, even signing paperwork does not make it a done deal. And didn’t we have a running back that was supposed to transfer in last season but then failed to graduate? Looks like Mac and company might have to make do with talent already on the rostet.

    1. buffnaustin,

      Connor was not ever really given a chance under the misguided tutelage of OC Brian Lindgren. No teaching, No prep and horrible play calling. If his successor had come in and won consistently, then it would be easy to blame Connor. But Wood was only given six games as a starter. His winning percentage was .333 while the QB following him has a winning percentage of .267 despite the long term opportunity of starting 30 games. Wood and Liufau are both 4* quarterbacks. Perhaps the blame lies with the OC Lindgren and HC MacIntyre. Let’s hope the influence of Darrin Chiaverini makes a big impact.

      As Stuart shows in his next post, the QB’s who have rewritten the CU record books over the last 10 years have a combined record of less than .333. Maybe it’s time to focus on the only number that matters (wins and losses) instead of yards from an outrageous number of passes thrown.

      Mark
      Boulderdevil

      1. Boulderdevil,

        First off I really like the description “misguided tutelaqe ”

        I do think Connor had the whole package except his accuracy. Seeing wide open receivers and the big arm over throwing guys killed me.
        My problem with transfers is if why a player is transferring. I think he said it was to be closer to home, which Colorado is closer Than Tennessee but it is still a thousand miles fro California. I know he mentioned the PAC 12 but still. And I will always question a 4th? team player moving because maybe he wasn’t good enough to move up the depth chart. All of that said I hope he can come in and take over the team I want him to be that good. and Chiv can bust him out.

        1. Buffnaustin,
          If I remember correctly, Wood left Texas because he wasn’t happy with his place on the depth chart AFTER the Longhorns had spring practices following his freshman season. Jones told his coaches as soon as the regular season was over that he wanted to transfer.

          Sheriron is a California kid. CU Boulder is full of students from California, and the culture in Boulder is much closer to what Jones grew up in than Tennessee or anywhere else in the South. At Colorado
          he will play with and against people he knew and played against in high school. He will also get to play games in front of friends and family. That’s huge for a young man leaving home.

          Lastly, most guys who are redshirts are not even added to the depth chart except in emergency situations. Tennessee is a talent laden team. They had EIGHTEEN 4 star kids in the class Jones enrolled with. For most of them, they knew their first year would be a redshirt so they could lift, grow, learn the playbook and adjust to college.

          Someday soon, I hope, MacIntyre will be able to do the same thing with his incoming freshman. If Jones works hard on and off the field, and if Lindgren starts actually developing the skills of his QBs, Colorado might finally have some serious competition behind the center. I’m looking forward to it.

          Go Buffs!

          Mark
          Boulderdevil

  3. Yo Stuart,

    The Buffs getting Sheriron Jones, a legitimate 4* dual threat QB, is great news. Makes me think that Mac and staff may pull off some recruiting magic this last month before LOI day. Hoping he is enrolled this semester so that he can take part in spring drills. It never hurts to have extra QB’s to run drills with receivers and to push the competition. It will also help to have a guy with so much experience on hand (Sefo) to help the younger guys with the mental aspects.

    Go Buffs. Bring on spring practices!

    Mark
    Boulderdevil

  4. Yo Stuart,

    Not to worry about Craig Watts. ESPN only has him tagged as three stars, and I find them more reliable than the rest of the recruiting service ratings. Like a lot of high school kids, he will change his mind over and over again before his name is finally signed somewhere on a LOI.

    As for a dominant type of DB, Watts is a little undersized at 5’10” to be facing the type of receivers that come out of the Pac-12 every year. He could turn out to be good, or he could turn out to be like many of the overhyped youngsters many of the recruiting services get “paid” to evaluate.

    Remember back to 2012 when the Buffs signed a pair of 4-star DB’s. One had a fine college career and is hoping to have his name called when the draft is held, and the other hasn’t been seen much since his freshman year because his body did not continue to develop and he has been unable to gain weight and strength or crack the starting lineup.

    Evaluating these young men is an “educated guess” at best as to what they will develop into in 2-3 years. I trust the guys who get paid seven figures to know better than the average fan which high school players will develop into good college players.

    Those fans who seem to think that every high school kids with a random four star rating is a sure four year starter are sorely mistaken. They are suffering from the grass is greener under prospective recruits syndrome.

    Ken Crawley came in as four stars and has been criticized mercilessly by Buff fans in the blogosphere for his entire career, despite the fact that he had to play for three different defensive coordinators and two head coaches. He’s a fine young man and will have a good shot at playing on Sundays.

    Another ESPN four star recruit (from 2013) who has taken more than his share of criticism is Sefo Liufau. That criticism should have always been (and now is, thank goodness) directed at Offensive Coordinator Brian Lindgren and Head Coach Mike MacIntyre.

    Mac did great when he brought in Jim Leavitt as DC. Let’s hope that the changes he is making this year have the same effect. Some of us are skeptical since coordinators from around the country on better teams have been outsourced while Mac seems ready to stand pat and hope for the best. Let’s hope that Darrin Chiaverini has a much bigger impact than we expect.

    Mark
    Boulderdevil

  5. “I will be taking my last three official visits this month and ultimately making a decision on Signing Day. I will not be commenting any further on my recruitment until after I submit my letter of intent on signing day” …

    Well, Stuart, that doesn’t exactly pin Watts in the corner on any decision…. which does leave the option open to re-commit to CU, although that seems unlikely….. that is if Coach Leavitt can’t re-convince the young man to abandon any ideas of playing in the ACC or SEC nearer home.

    Soooooo, if we don’t get him, our DB situation isn’t that bad at all. We saw a lot of progress with the DB’s this last season.

  6. I don’t think you can lose what you never really had. Verbal commits are fun to evaluate but nothing is set in stone until they walk onto the field for their first work out.

  7. well didnt expect watts to stay it was to soon for him to commit ,just had a feeling he might change his mind ,but there still alot of time,hope he still wants to be a Buff but if not well good bye

  8. Why aren’t we getting anybody from Southern California? That should be our main recruiting area. We are in the Pac12 South, right?

  9. Stuart, it’s nice seeing recruits giving verbals to CU when they have also had offers from highly rated academic schools like Rice, Baylor, et al.

    One of the reasons, IMHO, why the military academies compete as well as they do in athletics is the fact they have extremely rigid criteria for entrance into their schools.

    Intelligent people are faster thinkers and also process input faster. The academies also do not have as highly rated athletes to pick from as the other D-1 schools, yet they seem to compete in most sports admirably.

  10. The major weaknesses against Oregon were the lines, both O and D. Would sure like to see some lineman commits.

    1. That’s what I saw too ventman. They played the butts off in the first half and by second half they were out of gas and the talent on Oregons side finally started pushing our boys around.

  11. Stuart, when future recruits start seeing some 4* talent come on board, it will certainly give them more incentive to give the Buffs serious consideration. Another with Watts’ pedigree for the 2016 class will really bolster the remaining slots for that class. Can’t wait.

    Pulling out my crystal ball, in two years I see two to three 4*’s latching onto the Buff Mo-mentum each recruiting class. At that point, I also see Noyer and Montez in a gruesome battle for #1 QB….. and I begin seeing us as a legitimate contender for the top ranking in the Pac-12 South.

    BUT, I also see us being a thistle under other Pac-12 teams’ saddle THIS YEAR. I think we have the horses to knock off a couple of our Pac-12 South opponents…. and, that’s not just the Kool-aid talking.

  12. Watts is a solid to great pick up for the Buffs. Anthony Julmisse coming for the oregon game I beleive, Huntley, Watts and AJ would make a great trio from the sunshine state and begin to open a pipeline. Leavitt is the real deal.

    On a related note, I wonder how close CU is to getting some scholarships back from transfers, dead weight, early grad, etc. Honestly, some guys pan out and some dont. But if it comes down to pulling the schollies of a few four star guys on the current roster that are close to graduating but arent playing and have more eligibility left than needed for a degree, would they move on ? Id rather see those offers go out to fresh blood from the sunshine state.

      1. He doesn’t show up on the list of players who were in the game against Nicholls.
        78 players dressed, and 70 played.
        Wright dressed, but did not play against UMass, but did not even dress for Hawai’i or CSU.
        So, according to the CU stats sheet, Wright has yet to play a down in 2015 …

        1. wow and he was a 4 star catch was he not ? shame he hasn`t played a down but yet he is getting a 4 star education I hope ? is he a senior or junior ?

      2. buffstdad, Yuri may have the talent but we don’t know the whole story behind his not playing. Does he have any latent physical problems ? Does he really match-up well with WR’s ? Is he taking his academics seriously ? Is he really putting maximum effort in to be bigger, stronger, faster ? Was he just over-rated by the scouting services ? (They’ve laid an egg on more than one. Do you remember a National #1 RB recruit (Darrell Scott) with a 5* rating that fell as flat as an Aunt Jemima pancake ?).

        (So many variables at work here…. I just wish the young man well so he can maximize everything Coach Mac tries to impart on young men’s lives to be satisfied and happy in the future). And, I would love to see him in the lineup too.

        1. ya i do remember Scott and a couple other 5 star running backs that fell flat on thier butts . I just hope four the best for Yuri and hope he has done his home work. he is getting a 4 star education hate to see him blow that a way

  13. Exciting, Coach Mac is doing a good job coaching up the talent that he has but he needs to start scoring some 4 star recruits. This sounds like a great start. Go Buffs!

  14. hey stuart whats up with the kids from colorado this period around ? what I m getting at witch are intereseted in the Buffs and how do they rate in state ? always seems like we went after the first 3 or 5 and now we get lucky to get one . seems to me if we could more of them including the linemen it would sure help out our team.

    1. It’s been a tough few years for Colorado in terms of in-state recruiting, and it doesn’t look like the Class of 2016 will be much different. The Buffs have received a commitment from Rivals No. 3 player in the state, offensive lineman Terriek Roberts, but are not in the lead for any of the others in the top five or six.
      Part of it has to do with it being a down year for talent in the state. In the Rivals top ten, there is only one four-star recruit, four three-stars, four two-stars, and one player who remains unrated. While it’s good to see local kids stay home, Buff fans would not be all that happy even if they had all the players on that list.

      The other reason, of course, is that CU is not a popular brand in its home state. The last time CU went to a bowl game, these high school seniors were in the fourth grade. Phillip Lindsay and other local players, in the latest CU video trailer, talked about how friends talk down to them, and make fun of them being a member of the CU football team. Kids like winners (compare Broncos jerseys around town with those wearing Colorado Rockies jerseys). The lone four star recruit from the state this cycle, defensive end Carlo Kemp, told Rivals, “I also want to compete for national championship and that’s ultimately the biggest goal. It’s definitely going to factor into my decision where I can compete at the highest level”.

      Right now, Colorado doesn’t fit into that discussion.

  15. Patrick Taylor doesn’t look 4.43 fast on video…. kinda’ a slasher with not many deceptive moves. Gotta’ have some deception and fast change-direction to be a good RB in PAC-12.

    He does have good size tho’ and might be a FB, if anything. Me thinks he might be a good LB, especially with his alleged speed.

    Noyer looks really good on video. Quite an arm and pretty good with his feet and quickness. We seem to be attracting some good talent at QB. It’s going to be interesting this fall to see how things shake out for the #2 at that position…. and in years ahead. Can any of these potentially good future QB’s challenge Sefo this year or next ? I really like Sefo. Just hope he cuts down the INT’s. If so, we are going to be hell on wheels and a threat to any team we play.

  16. Man…… who re-designed the CUBuffs.com web page ? U-G-L-Y. Gone is the attractive shots of the Flatirons and the CU campus and background that helps sell the school to new recruits, potential students and the general public.

    It’s all about “Image.” All that remains is FLAT graphics. B-o-r-i-n-g. Whomever made the decision to change it should be taken out behind the woodshed and spanked.

    What say you Stewart ?

      1. Stuart, you’re just being nice. (and, please excuse the spelling).

        Yes, you are…. you’re just a big ol’ diplomat…. a nice one at that.

        How could that flat, bore-some graphic appearance grow on a guy ?

  17. I like this one. Highly rated in the state and pretty good nationally. The depth were are starting to get will help him be able to add bulk in the coming years.

  18. just bring on more recruits and get them signed . this waiting is killing me . I do think coach Mac can do this but he needs to get more kids to buy the goods he is selling . this year is going to be one of those make or break years and i really would love to see something change for the good to bring in those 4 star guys . not worried about 5 star guys Cu does`t have the best of luck with them lately.

  19. Any new guys that have already “bought in” is a blessing in disguise. They WANT to be here. Mac can coach and the players that he is getting are coachable, which makes 2-3* players into 3-4* players. “Hear me now, believe me later”, 2 years from now…you’ll all be looking for a spot on the bandwagon.

  20. Sorry, but having a hard time getting excited about a rail thin “diamond in the rough”. Let me know when some 4 or 5 star recruits start committing so we can really compete in the PAC 12.

  21. I like how Derrion Rakestraw catches everything with his hands. Needs to put some weight on but he could be a diamond in the rough!

  22. I’m excited for this young man joining Buff Nation. Hopefully he will be one of the key players that will bring our football team back to national prominence. Welcome Sam!!!

  23. Looks like a solid recruit. Certainly seems to have the size and speed judging by the video.

    Also, great job reporting on this as always. Thanks for all your work!

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