CU Class of 2023 – Signed Letters of Intent

Players Who are Coming to CU via the Transfer Portal (bios posted below) (Bold = Signed LOI received) … Italicized = Signing Day Addition

QB – Shedeur Sanders (from Jackson State)

OL – Savion Washington (from Kent State) … Landon Beebe (from Missouri State) … Tyler Brown (Jackson State)

DL – Taijh Alston (from West Virginia) … Shane Cokes (from Dartmouth) … Marshawn Kneeland (Western Michigan) 

WR – Jimmy Horn, Jr. (from South Florida)

TE – Seydou Traore (from Arkansas State)

LB – LaVonta Bentley (from Clemson)

CB – Travis Hunter (from Jackson State)

 

17 Commitments, by Position (bold = Signed Letter of Intent)

QuarterbacksRyan Staub … Kasen Weisman

Running BacksDylan Edwards

Wide ReceiversIsaiah HardgeJordan OnovugheAssad Waseem Jacob Page … Adam Hopkins … Omarion Miller

Tight Ends

Offensive LinemenHank Zilinskas 

Defensive LinemenTaje McCoy

LinebackersVictory JohnsonKofi Taylor-Barrocks … Morgan Pearson

Defensive Backs  … Carter Stoutmire … Jaden Milliner Jones … Cormani McClain

Recruiting Rankings …

Karl Dorrell Classes …

  • Class of 2021 … Rivals: 63 … 247 Sports: 64
  • Class of 2022 …  Rivals: 45 … 247 Sports: 47
  • Class of 2023 … Pre-Hiring of Coach Prime (20 commitments) … Rivals: 45 … 247 Sports: 42

Deion Sanders Class of 2023 …

  • After 12 de-commitments from the Class of 2023 … Rivals: 72 … 247 Sports: 75
  • Prior to final official visit weekend (through 12/16) … Rivals: 56 … 247 Sports: 65
  • December 20th rankings (day before Signing Day – 15 commitments) … Rivals: (not including transfers) 53 … 247 Sports composite: 56 … Transfer Portal Ranking (four transfers): 16
  • December 22nd rankings (day after Signing Day – 24 commitments) … Rivals: (not including transfers) 44 … 247 Sports composite: 29 … Transfer Portal Ranking (eight transfers): 7
  • December 25th rankings (after commitments from four-star receivers Omarion Miller and Jimmy Horn, Jr.) … Rivals (not including transfers): 32 … 247 Sports composite: 24 … Transfer Portal Ranking (11 commits): 3rd
  • January 4th rankings … Rivals (not including transfers): 31st … 247 Sports composite: 23rd … Transfer Portal Rankings: (17 commits) 2nd
  • January 15th rankings … Rivals (not including transfers): 32nd … 247 Sports composite: 22nd … Transfer Portal Rankings: (22 commits): 3rd
  • January 19th rankings … Rivals (not including transfers): 25th … 247 Sports composite: 19th … Transfer Portal Rankings (23 commits): 4th

 


 

Kasen Weisman – QB

Just the facts …. Committed on Christmas Day … Weisman is a 6’2″, 175-pound quarterback from Douglasville, Georgia … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Weisman … Weisman is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Weisman is rated as the No. 62 quarterback in the nation, the No. 136 player overall out of the state of Georgia, and the No. 1425 player overall in the nation.

Weisman completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 1,756 yards, 15 touchdowns and 9 interceptions while rushing for 242 yards and three touchdowns this fall for South Paulding High School in Douglasville, Ga., per MaxPreps.

Weisman had other offers from … over two dozen schools, including Power Five conference schools. Weisman’s most notable offer came from Kansas, and he was committed to the Jayhawks from August 11th to December 20th. Weisman also held offers from schools like Cal, but took visits to Penn State, Cincinnati, and Virginia Tech.

In his own words … “Just felt like home,” Weisman told 247Sports. New offensive coordinator Sean Lewis was a big factor in his recruitment. “The staff is elite and they are all winners. They know what it takes to become champions and I want to be around those types of people!”

“Just the hype around the program,” Weisman said when asked about his commitment. “We are about to change college football. And I wanted to be a part of it. There is about to be a lot of winning going on in Boulder!”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Seydou Traore – TE

Just the facts … Committed on Christmas Day … Traore is a 6’4″, 210-pound tight end from Clearwater, Florida. Traore comes to Colorado by way of Arkansas State, and will have four years to play three at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Traore … Traore is originally from England, which also produced Colorado 2023 linebacker signee Kofi Taylor-Barrocks. Thaore had never competed in 11-man football before arriving in the United States, and only played one year of high school football. Despite his inexperience, Thaore was considered a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, while only a two-star prospect by Rivals.

Traore caught 50 passes for 655 yards receiving and four receiving touchdowns during the 2022 season while playing or Arkansas State. That was good enough to earn him a spot on the Sun Belt All-Conference first team this year. He finished the regular season with the fifth-highest receiving grade (89.6) among all FBS tight ends according to PFF.

Traore had other offers from … only a handful of programs out of high school, mostly because, again, he was new to the game. When he announced his decision to enter the Transfer Portal, however, Power Five schools took notice. Traore’s decision came down to CU and Utah, a program noted for turning tight ends into stars.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

 

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Jimmy Horn, Jr. – WR

Just the facts … Committed on Christmas Day … Horn is a 5’9″, 165-pound wide receiver from Sanford, Florida. Horn comes to Colorado by way of South Florida, and will have three years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others have to say about Horn … As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2021, Horn was rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Horn was listed as the No. 127 wide receiver in the nation, the No. 107 player overall out of Florida, and the No. 863 player overall in the country. As a transfer, Rivals still has Horn as a three-star prospect, the No. 148 player available in the Transfer Portal. 247 Sports, meanwhile, has Horn rated at .9000, which makes him a four-star transfer in their eyes.

Horn caught a total of 67 passes and had 1,066 yards of offense in 2021 and 2022 at USF. Horn was a first-team All-AAC selection this fall as a kick returner after averaging 29.9 yards per return. He had an 89-yard touchdown return for a score in the Bulls’ season opener against BYU (see below).

Horn also won four medals at the Class 8A State Track and Field Championships in his final year at Seminole. He was part of the state champion 4×100-meter relay team that posted a time of 41..12 to rank among the top 10 nationally. Horn won the long jump with a mark of 23-0.75 and he finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (10.81) and triple jump (46-4.25).

Horn had other offers from … several big-time Power Five conference schools out of high school, including Georgia and Tennessee. He also had an offer from Coach Prime at Jackson State, but settled on home state South Florida.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Omarion Miller – WR

Just the facts … Committed December 24th … Miller is a 6’2″, 190-pound wide receiver from Vivian, Louisiana (North Caddo) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others day about Miller … Miller is rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Miller is listed as the No. 19 wide receiver in the nation, the No. 9 player overall out of the state of Louisiana, and the No. 124 overall prospect in the nation. At 247 Sports, Miller is listed as the No. 32 wide receiver in the country, the No. 13 player out of Louisiana, and the No. 245 player in the nation.

Miller averaged over 22-yards per catch as a three-year varsity starter, turning 154 receptions into 3,492 yards and 43 touchdowns. As a senior he had 49 catches for 1,183 yards and 15 scores with another three rushing touchdowns.

247 Sports EvaluationTall, framey wideout with good size and plenty of available space to add mass and strengthen. Smooth, fluid athlete with a gliding open-field gait, but sneaky initial burst. Plays with adequate top-end speed. Good in the air and competitive in contested situations. Natural high pointer with clear red-zone mismatch potential. Displays above average, better-than-expected lateral mobility relative to size and build. Tracks well downfield and adjusts naturally on the fly. Provided solid volume and great big-play production as a sophomore (27.8 yards per catch, eight TD). Speed is unverified with no track or testing data. Shows above average acceleration but can improve top gear to separate more often in open-field opportunities. Will need to expand/hone full route tree against better competition at the next level. High-major receiver prospect who does a lot of things quite well. High-floor player who could also provide high developmental potential with increased top-end speed.

Miller had other offers from … a half dozen Power Five conference schools, but the fun fact here is that Miller was a Nebraska commit from July 5th through December 2nd. Miller also had strong interest from LSU, and other offers from Ole Miss, Miami, Mississippi State and West Virginia.

In his own words … “I think Coach Prime is going to really make history there,” Miller told 247Sports. “I think he’s going to bring Colorado back where it should be.” That wasn’t the only thing that sold Miller on Colorado. “Just Boulder itself, I really like the cold. I’m a cold-weather type of guy.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Marshawn Kneeland – DL

Just the facts … Committed December 22nd … Kneeland is a 6’3″, 275-pound defensive end from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who comes to Colorado by way of Western Michigan. He will have two years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Kneeland … Kneeland was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2019, and was considered to be a two-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, he was considered to be the No. 158 weakside defensive end in the nation, the No. 85 player overall out of the state of Michigan, and the No. 3433 player overall in the nation.

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Kneeland earned a Pro Football Focus run grade of 85.5, good for 18th in the country. He finished with 38 total tackles (ten for loss) and 1.5 sacks with three sacks. He had 31 tackles and eight for loss in 2021.

Kneeland had other offers from … only a few schools, with Western Michigan being his best offer.

In his own words … “I feel good about Colorado because of the opportunities that come with it,” Kneeland told 247 Sports, “and the people that I would be around while being there because iron sharpens iron.”

“We got a chance to build a really good relationship with Coach Williams and Coach Grundy,” said Kneeland’s high school head coach Brendan Kimble, who accompanied him to Colorado. “Once we were on campus that comfort was extended throughout the entire staff. Then Coach Prime put it over the top. The opportunity to learn from him and be developed in the environment he is building was something he did not want to pass up.”

 

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Travis Hunter – CB/WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Hunter is a 6’1″, 165-pound cornerback/wide receiver from Suwanee, Georgia (Collins Hill), who comes to Colorado by way of Jackson State. Hunter will have four years to play three at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Hunter … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2021, Hunter was considered by both Rivals and 247 Sports to be not only the No. 1 player out of Georgia, the No. 1 cornerback in the nation, but the No. 1 overall prospect in the country. His 247 composite ranking was 0.9999, or basically perfect.

Evaluation by Andrew Invins at 247 SportsA generational type of talent. Legitimately CB1 and WR1 for the class of 2022. Makes everything he does look extremely easy. Smooth. Explosive. Competitive. At times it seems like he’s almost a human cheat code as he’s always making the highlight reel play at the right time. Video game numbers during prep career (over 3,600 receiving yards, 46 touchdowns catches and 19 interceptions) make him seem even more godly. Hasn’t tested anywhere, but he’s one of those prospects that doesn’t need to run on the lasers to verify anything as his play speed trumps others. Quick to read and react on the defensive side of the ball. Likes to bait quarterbacks into making poor decisions. Elite ball skills and ability to elevate over other players helps him take away throwing windows. Shifty footwork makes him difficult to cover when he’s on offense. Mixes gears well and is able to shake defensive backs with crisp little cuts. Not afraid to lay out or get his jersey dirty, either. Will eventually need to add some body armor to a rather wiry frame that appears to be pushing 6-foot-1 as that will help him make stops in the ally or block out on the perimeter. Has the tools to be a difference maker the second he steps foot on the college campus of his choice. Viewed by most recruiters and scouts as cornerback longterm, but offensive coaches are likely going to be trying to get him some burn at wide receiver in situational packages. Should work his way onto the two-deep as a freshman and then blossom into an impact player and potential All-American. Will play on Sundays if there are no set backs and has a chance to be selected Day 1 of the NFL Draft if he keeps progressing.

Hunter had other offers from … everyone who thought they had a shot at his services. Florida State was considered to be Hunter’s destination committing to the Seminoles in March of his junior year. On Signing Day, 2021, however, Hunter flipped, announcing his decision to attend Jackson State. Hunter also had offers from the likes of Georgia, Michigan, Oklahoma, Clemson and Tennessee.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Tyler Brown – OL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Brown is a 6’3″, 320-pound offensive lineman from Jackson Mississippi. He comes to Colorado by way of Louisiana-Lafayette and Jackson State. He will have two years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Brown … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2019, Brown was rated as a two-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. 247 Sports ranks him the No. 203 interior offensive lineman nationally and No. 72 player from Mississippi.

After spending three years (and playing 11 games) with Louisiana-Lafayette, Brown transferred to Jackson State. This past season, Brown started 13 games on the offensive line, earning AP third-team FCS All-American honors. Named to the BOXTOROW HBCU All-American team on the offensive line, and earned first-team All-SWAC.

Brown had other offers from … only Louisiana, Jackson State, and Southern Miss out of high school. He is following Coach Prime from Jackson State to Boulder.

 

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Shedeur Sanders – QB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Sanders is a 6’1″, 180-pound pro-style quarterback from Cedar Hill, Texas, by way of Jackson State. Sanders will have three years to play two at Colorado … Rivals bio … 247 Sports bio …

What others have to say about Sanders … From the Recruiting Class of 2021, Sanders was considered to be a four-star prospect by 247 Sports, but only a three-star prospect by Rivals. At 247 Sports, Sanders was rated as the No. 26 pro-style quarterback in the nation, the No. 38 overall prospect out of Texas, and the No. 247 player overall in the country. As a Transfer Portal candidate, however, Sanders was bumped up to a four-star recruit by Rivals.

In his last 5 seasons (three in high school, two at Jackson State), Shedeur Sanders has completed 66% of his passes for 15,888 yards, 193 TD, 33 INT and rushed for 31 TDs while compiling a win-loss record of 62-5.

Evaluation by Greg Biggins at 247 Sports … Highly productive and a winner with a pair of state championships to his name. Athletic frame, moves well and can extend plays. Does a nice job making that initial pass rusher miss, doesn’t panic and shows poise and calmness in the pocket. Has dual-threat ability and can pick up bug chunks of yards with his legs but doesn’t take off and run as much as you would expect. Has enough arm strength to get the ball down the field and shows nice touch on his deep ball. Can tighten his release a bit but has some solid tools that project well to college. Upside is an impact upper tier Power 5 starter and potential NFL draft pick

Sanders had other offers from … While Sanders committed to play for his father at Jackson State, he had over two dozen offers from all over the nation. Sanders had offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, UCLA and Arizona State.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Isaiah Hardge – WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed April 20th … Hardge is a 5’11”, 160-pound wide receiver from Ft. Lauderdale (St. Thomas Aquinas) … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others have to say about Hardge … Hardge is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Hardge is considered as the No. 149 player out of Florida, the No. 163 wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 1062 overall prospect.

As a junior, Hardge helped Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas capture a Florida 7A state title. Caught 22 passes for 355 yard and six touchdowns while working in an offense that also featured Auburn WR signee Cam Brown and LSU TE signee Mason Taylor. UConn signee Zion Taylor was the team’s quarterback.

As a senior, Hardge spent time playing receiver, cornerback, and returned punts and kicks, while helping the Raiders to 13 straight wins. St. Thomas Aquinas is set to face Homestead in the 3M state championship game on Dec. 15th. Hardge could factor in on either side of the ball for the Buffaloes.

St. Thomas Aquinas is a Florida powerhouse program that’s been familiar to CU in recent recruiting cycles (RB Anthony Hankerson in ’22, Allan Baugh in ’21).

Hardge had other offers from … an impressive array of Power Five conference schools. From the SEC, Hardge had offers from Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Ole Miss. From the Big Ten, Hardge had offers from Maryland and Penn State, while from the ACC, Hardge had offers from Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Pitt.

In his own words … “They called him to honor his commitment,” said Ron Hardge Jr., Isaiah’s father and position coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, told 247 Sports after the hiring of Coach Prime. “We are definitely sticking with CU.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Jaden Milliner-Jones – DB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Milliner-Jones is 6’0″, 175-pound defensive back from DeSoto, Texas … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Milliner-Jones … Milliner-Jones is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Milliner-Jones is rated as the No. 109 safety in the nation, the No. 209 overall player out of Texas, and the No. 1336 player in the nation. He finished his career at DeSoto with 237 tackles, 12 for a loss with 1.5 sacks, one interception, eight pass breakups and three forced fumbles. In 2022, he played in 15 games and anchored the back-end of DeSoto’s State Championship team. Milliner-Jones finished the season with 86 total tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack, adding one interception, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Milliner-Jones had other offers from … most notably, SMU, as he was a commit to the Mustangs since June 13th. Milliner-Jones had over two dozen offers, with a healthy number coming from Power Five conference schools, as Milliner-Jones had offers Arkansas, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Minnesota, and Mississippi State.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Adam Hopkins – WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Hopkins is a 5’11”, 175-pound wide receiver from Thomasville, Georgia (Thomas County Central) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Hopkins … Hopkins is considered to be a four-star prospect by 247 Sports, but a three-star prospect by Rivals. At Rivals, Hopkins is considered the No. 67 overall prospect out of the state of Georgia, and the No. 86 wide receiver in the nation. At 247 Sports, Hopkins is rated as the No. 31 overall prospect out of Georgia, the No. 43 wide receiver in the country, and the No. 254 overall player in the nation.

Evaluation from 247 SportsA dynamic two-way athlete that has made plays at both wide receiver and cornerback on Friday nights. Size unverified, but believed to be pushing 6-foot. No track times on record and limited testing data available, but pulls away from defenders in the open field and has one of the faster verified max speed numbers in the class of 2023 according to one database. Dealt with subpar quarterback play as a junior and totaled just 350 receiving yards, but got off to a hot start as a senior hauling in three touchdowns passes in his opener. Understands how to stack defenders and get vertical on the outside. Does a nice job of tracking the ball through the air and will get aggressive at the catch point. Advanced ball skills also stand out when he’s on defense as he will swat away what should be easy completions. Overall, should be viewed as a mid-sized skill player with some juice that could carve out a role on either side of the ball at the Power Five level with coaching and seasoning. Will need to keep improving as a route runner and learn how to create separation on Saturdays if he finds himself in offensive meeting rooms once on campus, but could avoid a redshirt by finding his way onto some special teams units. All-conference upside.

Hopkins had other offers from … two dozen Power Five conference schools. Hopkins was an Auburn commit from September 15th to December 1st. After his de-commitment, Florida State and Texas A&M became the favorites. Other offers cam from Georgia, Kansas State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Mississippi State, Penn State, Purdue, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Jack Wilty – OL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Wilty is a 6’4″, 310-pound offensive lineman from Pleasant Hill, Iowa, who comes to Colorado by way of Northern Illinois and Iowa Central Community College. Wilty will have three years to play three at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Wilty … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2020, Wilty was rated as a two-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Wilty was rank as the No. 189 offensive guard in the country, and the No. 12 overall player from Iowa. As a transfer, On3 sports lists him as a three star prospect, ranking him the No. 69 junior college transfer, the No. 4 inside offensive lineman in the country, and the No. 8 overall player out of Iowa.

Wilty had other offers from … hardly anyone out of high school. Before transferring to Iowa Central Community College, Wilty signed on with Northern Illinois. He red-shirted in 2020, then transferred to Iowa Central.

 

 

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Jordan Onovughe – WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed November 7th … Onovughe is a 6’1″, 200-pound wide receiver from Santa Ana, California (Mater Dei) … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others say about Onovughe … Onovughe is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Onovughe is considered to be the No. 85 overall prospect out of the state of California. At 247 Sports, Onovughe is listed as the No. 141 overall player out of the state of California, and the No. 213 wide receiver in the country, and the No. 1520 overall prospect in the nation.

Onovughe has been credited with 46 catches for over 400 yards receiving and four touchdowns this season. Onovughe helped the Monarchs to 12 straight wins and a Trinity League Championship until they lost to St. John Bosco by just two points in the CIF Southern Section Division I title game.

“What I take pride in the most doesn’t show up on film”, Onovughe told BuffStampede.com. “I try to be an impactful teammate, hold my teammates accountable, make sure everybody’s minds are right before the game, make sure we are all on the same page and communicate. My grades are pretty good, too. So I feel like I bring more to the table than what you see inside the lines.”

According to Greg Biggins at 247 Sports … At 6-1, 200 pounds, Onovughe has a strong frame, runs well after the catch and is an excellent blocker. He has strong hands, plays with a competitive edge and carries a 4.2 GPA off the field.

Onovughe had other offers from … Utah and Stanford from the Pac-12. Other offers came in from Colorado State and UNLV. Playing for one of the premier programs in the country (Mater Dei), Onovughe had to sit behind other talented players last year, but came into his own this fall.

In his own words … “I love the competition that Colorado plays against being in the Pac-12, it is a good academic school, and it is just a great environment there. It is a beautiful area,” Onovughe told BuffStampede.com. “I am planning on getting up there again soon so I can talk more with the new staff. The new staff, from what I’m hearing, is coming in with a sense of urgency. They want to win right away so I like hearing that.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Isaiah Jatta – OL (Junior College)

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Jatta is a 6’6″, 330-pound offensive lineman from San Diego. He comes to Colorado by way of Snow Junior College in Utah. Jatta will have three years to play two at Colorado … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Jatta … Jatta is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Jatta is rated as the No. 4 junior college offensive lineman in the nation, the No. 1 offensive lineman out of California, and the No. 9 overall junior college prospect.

Jatta had other offers from … most notably, South Carolina. Jatta had been on the Gamecocks’ commitment list for nearly six months. BYU, Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Syracuse were the other Power 5 programs after Jatta early in the process, before he initially committed to South Carolina. He was offered by Coach Prime’s staff at Jackson State in November and he was also being recruited by O’Boyle when he was at Kent State. Jatta played his high school ball at Helix High School in the San Diego area. After he de-committed from South Carolina, Auburn became CU’s primary competition for Jatta’s services.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Ryan Staub – QB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed January 31st … Staub is a 6’1″, 190-pound quarterback from Santa Clarita, California (West Ranch) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Staub … Staub is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Staub is listed as the No. 45 overall prospect out of the state of California, and the No. 22 pro-style quarterback in the country. At 247 Sports, Staub is considered to be the No. 34 quarterback in the nation, the No. 61 player overall out of California, and the No. 697 player in the nation.

In his senior season, Staub led West Ranch to 11 straight victories and its first ever Foothill League title. On the season, Staub threw for 3,008 yards, ran for 363 yards, and accounted for 41 touchdowns with only five interceptions.

Staub had other offers from … only a few schools, but he committed early on in the process. Staub did have offers Arizona, Fresno State, Nevada and SMU. Staub did take an official visit to SMU after Coach Sanders was hired, but stayed with his commitment to Colorado.

In his own words … “Recruiting was stressful for a second,” Staub admitted to 247 Sports. “I didn’t really know what my future was going to look like but after seeing what is going on behind-the-scenes at Colorado, seeing their vision for the future, it made me feel really good about the situation there.

“My father and I came out there (after Coach Prime was hired) and we both had a lot of questions. After the visit, I would say all those questions were answered and they were answered really well. I like the new staff. I’m really excited for what is to come with Colorado football.”

Staub was hosted by receiver Jordyn Tyson and safety Dylan Dixson on his second official visit to Colorado, and he got to spend quality time with the Buffs’ new coaches. “(New offensive coordinator and quarterbacks) coach (Sean) Lewis immediately struck me as a great leader and a very, very smart offensive coordinator,” Staub said. “His system is super effective and fun for a quarterback to play in. I think it is a good fit for me and I am just really excited. I think his offense will put up a lot of points.

“My dad loved Coach Lewis and is excited for me to be part of what they’re building in Boulder. Coach Prime is more down to earth than anyone would really think. He’s turning Colorado football around in a heartbeat.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Landon Beebe – OL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio (which is just as sparse as my bio)

Just the facts … Committed December 21st (Signing Day) … Beebe is a 6’3″, 298-pound offensive lineman from Webb City, Missouri, by way of Missouri State. Beebe is a graduate transfer, with one year of eligibility remaining … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Beebe … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2018, Beebe was unrated by either Rivals or 247 Sports. Beebe signed with Missouri State. The 6-foot-3, 298-pound Bebee played in 42 games with the Bears, including 35 starts. He spent time playing every position on the offensive line during his time at Missouri State and was a three-time second-team all-Missouri Valley selection. Bebee is originally from Webb City, Mo. He will have one year of eligibility to compete with the Buffaloes.

Beebe had other offers from … over two dozen schools, but none from a Power Five conference schools. Before signing with Missouri State, Beebe had offers from Army and Air Force, along with other schools like New Mexico and UConn.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Victory Johnson – LB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed November 5th … Johnson is a 6’4″, 230-pound linebacker from San Diego, California (Cathedral Catholic) … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others say about Johnson … Johnson is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Johnson is listed as the No. 72 overall prospect out of the state of California. At 247 Sports, Johnson is listed as the No. 62 player out of the state of California, the No. 53 linebacker in the country, and the No. 1209 player in the nation overall.

“Johnson is one of the best and most versatile defensive players out West,” told 247Sports analyst Greg Biggins after his official visit to CU. “He’s an inside ‘backer at the high school level but has also played some edge rusher and could end up at either spot at the college level.”

Victory’s older brother will be joining him in Boulder. Champion Johnson announced his intention to join the herd as a preferred walk-on, after spending last fall at Cal-Berkeley. The older Johnson is a 6-foot-1, 250-pound fullback.

Johnson had other offers from … from over half of the Pac-12, including USC, Utah, Washington, Arizona State, Oregon State and Arizona. Other offers were from Kansas, San Diego State and Nevada.

In his own words … “I had a really good relationship with the old staff at Colorado but to see the shift in the energy and vision and seeing where Coach Prime is going take this program, it was an awesome experience,” Johnson told BuffStampede.com when asked about being part of the first group of recruits hosted by Deion Sanders and his new staff in Boulder. “I got to meet with (new linebackers) coach (Andre’) Hart and develop a relationship with him.

“I have never been more excited. I am graduating early so I am going to be there very soon, in like a month. I have finals this week and then I’m done, I’ll just be getting ready for college. I got to see more of Colorado’s campus, which I hadn’t really seen before and it is beautiful. I am super stoked, super excited.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Dylan Edwards – RB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 10th … Edwards is 5’9″, 165-pound running back from Derby, Kansas … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Edwards … Edwards is rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Edwards is rated as the No. 2 prospect out of the state of Kansas, the No. 3 running back in the nation, and the No. 133 overall prospect in the country. At 247 Sports, Edwards is considered to be the No. 2 player out of Kansas, the No. 10 running back in the country, and the No. 192 player overall. Edwards ranks as the No. 156 player in the nation by ESPN. He’s the first ESPN 300 recruit to commit to Colorado since the team signed three in 2020.

2021: Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Kansas after putting up 3,214 all-purpose yards and 40 total touchdowns. Averaged 12.5 yards per carry.
2020: Primarily played RB, but also got snaps at WR and returned kicks during sophomore season. Helped Derby to the Kansas 6A state title.

From 247 SportsVery productive high school back who is dangerous in multiple phases of the game and can score from anywhere on the field. Has excellent acceleration and good top-end speed. One of his best qualities is the ability to change direction or elude a tackler without needing to throttle down. Is not a big back and is not likely to run through many tacklers in college, but is very slippery and hard to land a clean hits on for tacklers. Shows the ability to line up outside the backfield and run routes and catch the ball and can certainly be a pass-catching threat from the backfield as well. Can also be a return man — both kicks and punts and be a threat there. Any offense and special teams unit can use a dynamic player like him regardless of offensive scheme. Will be a guy who offensive coordinators will find ways to get touches to even if it is not all coming from a traditional tailback setting.

Edwards had other offers from … pretty much every team in the nation. Edwards originally committed to home state Kansas State in June, but switched his commitment to Notre Dame in August. On December 8th, after receiving an offer from new CU head coach Deion Sanders, Edwards de-committed from Notre Dame, committing to CU two days later. Edwards also had offers from Oregon, Washington and the Arizona schools from the Pac-12, along with offers from Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan State.

 

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Hank Zilinskas – OL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed July 21st … Zilinskas is a 6’3″, 275-pound offensive lineman from Englewood, Colorado (Cherry Creek) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Zilinskas … Zilinskas was not rated by Rivals on the date of his commitment, later earning a two-star designation. Zilinkas was rated as a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Zilinskas was listed as the No. 14 player overall out of the state of Colorado, and the No. 126 internal offensive lineman in the nation, and the No. 1671 player in the country. A two-way lineman for Cherry Creek, Zilinskas is projected by the Buffaloes’ coaches to play as an interior offensive lineman in college.

Zilinskas was a first-team all-state selection and he was named Cherry Creek’s Team MVP in 2021. He recorded 59 tackles on defense, and had five tackles for a loss as a sophomore in 2020. Zilinskas finished his high school career with a four-peat as state champions with Cherry Creek. “No one had ever had a four-peat at the 5A level in Colorado before so it was just a surreal feeling to accomplish that, especially with the great group of kids I’ve been with for four years,” Zilinskas said. “Every year, we all really bought into the process and worked hard. That helped us achieve our goals. Now my main thing is to put on muscle and weight, just so I can be ready when I get to college. I want to be ready to compete immediately.”

Zilinskas had other offers from … only one other Power Five school, Kansas State. Zilinskas also had offers from Colorado State, Nevada and Utah State from the Mountain West Conference. Despite committing the summer before his senior season, Zilinskas did pick up interest from other Power Five schools, including UCLA, Iowa and Rutgers.

In his own words … “It’s a little difficult committing to one staff and having a new staff come in but my family and I made it our main goal to quickly establish relationships with the new coaches, and I believe that’s what we did,” Zilinskas told BuffStampede.com after getting to meet the new staff. “(New offensive line) coach (Bill) O’Boyle thinks I will fit well into their offensive scheme. He likes how I play, likes my athleticism. So it was a good meeting.

“I got to meet with Coach Prime on Sunday morning and I can definitely tell there is a new energy that may not have been there before. Everyone is determined to turn things around. Coach O’Boyle is a very good, smart coach. The main thing for me is just the energy I felt up there. Everyone is super excited and super optimistic and wants to win games.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Jacob Page – WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 19th … Page is a 6’2″, 180-pound wide receiver from Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Blackman) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Page … Page is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Page is listed as the No. 39 overall prospect out of Tennessee, while at 247 Sports, Page is considered to be the No. 15 player out of Tennessee, the No. 85 wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 914 overall player in the country.

Page caught a total of 66 passes for 1,233 yards in 17 games as an upperclassman at Blackman.

Page had other offers from … at least ten Power Five conference schools, including Washington from the Pac-12. Page other offers came from schools like Tennessee, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Missouri, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Purdue and South Carolina. Page took official visits to Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech before settling on Colorado.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Carter Stoutmire – DB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Stoutmire is a 6’0″, 170-pound cornerback from Prosper, Texas … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Stoutmire … Stoutmire is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Stoutmire is considered to be the No. 71 cornerback in the nation, the No. 114 player out of Texas, and the No. 703 prospect overall in the nation.

Stoutmire was a first-team all-state selection after recording six interceptions and 10 pass breakups as a senior at Plano (Texas) Prestonwood Christian. His father Omar Stoutmire played safety in the NFL for more than a decade after starring at Fresno State in the mid-’90s.

Stoutmire had other offers from … most notably, Arizona, as Stoutmire was an Arizona commit since June. Stoutmire also had offers from Penn State, Mississippi State and Kansas.

In his own words … “Yeh that was my first time there (last weekend in Boulder for his official visit) and the campus is beautiful,” Stoutmire told 247 Sports. “I really enjoyed being around the coaches and re-connecting with them.

“Talking with Deion, the main message was he’s going to push me hard to be the best player I can be. He wants to develop me and coming in as a corner, that’s a great group of defensive coaches to learn from.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Morgan Pearson – Ath

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed November 28th … Pearson is a 6’1″, 218-pound athlete from Ardmore, Oklahoma (Plainview) … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Pearson … A “three-phase playmaker”, Pearson is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Pearson is rated as the No. 6 overall prospect out of the state of Oklahoma, and the No. 17 inside linebacker nationally. Meanwhile, at 247 Sports, Pearson is listed as a wide receiver, but is ranked as the No. 6 prospect out of Oklahoma, the No. 51 linebacker in the country, and the 583 player nationally.

Pearson has been described by 247Sports recruiting analyst Gabe Brooks as a “three-phase playmaker,” Pearson had 14 touchdowns on 48 receptions (for 831 yards) in 10 games as a senior as a wide receiver on offense, but he also had three pick-sixes on defense, and two kickoff returns for a score.

Pearson had other offers from … most notably, Michigan State. Pearson attended CU’s finale against Utah, but, despite the lopsided loss, opted to end his recruitment. Pearson also had offers from Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Iowa State, and Pittsburgh from Power Five conference schools, as well as numerous Group of Five programs. After Deion Sanders was named CU head coach, Pearson still took an official visit to Michigan State.

In his own words … “It has been the longest process ever. I have been dealing with recruiting since my freshman year and it has been crazy,” Pearson told BuffStampede.com, who got his first offer from Oklahoma State for baseball before racking up football options. “Once I put that pen to paper, I’ll probably feel a big ole’ lift coming off my shoulders because of how stressful it has been.

“When I visited Colorado, I loved everything about it,” Pearson said. “It is the most beautiful campus I’ve been to by far. I kind of already knew the situation that was going down with the coaching situation so that helped a lot, but just the vibe of the campus is what really sold me on it.

“I know Coach Prime is going to bring in toughness to the program. I know it’s not going to be a cakewalk. I mean, I’m going to get coached by Prime Time, one of the best players in NFL history. So it is an honor but I know it is going to be a dramatic change from high school coaching to college coaching. I’m really just ready to get started on that next stage of life, living out my dream.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

 

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Kofi Taylor-Barrocks – LB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 18th … Taylor-Barrocks is a 6’3″, 220-pound linebacker from London, England (NFL Academy) … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others say about Taylor-Barrocks … Taylor-Barrocks is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Taylor-Barrocks is considered to be the No. 1 prospect out of England, the No. 85 linebacker in the Recruiting Class of 2023, and the No. 1061 player overall.

Kofi-Taylor had other offers from … most notably, Jackson State, so Coach Prime was already familiar with the linebacker from England. From Power Five conference schools, Taylor-Barrocks had offers from Michigan State, Ole Miss, and West Virginia, and had interest from Penn State, Notre Dame and Maryland.

In his own words …  “I’ve gotten close with Coach Prime quite a few times, so I know the love is real and they’re going to treat me like family when I get over there,” he told 247Sports’ Allen Trieu last summer. “Especially being a European, that is one of the biggest things I’m looking for is the sense of being at home while being away from home.” Taylor-Barrocks went on a campus circuit last summer, giving him the exposure to college coaches.

“What pushed me to committing to Colorado and Coach Prime is the fact that they were recruiting me the hardest when they were at JSU,” Taylor-Barrocks told CU Sports Report. “Built a relationship with coach [Andre] Hart and coach [Tim] Brewster that made me feel like family. We all know that it’s more than just ball with Coach Prime he cares about his players off the field.”

“People over here laugh when they hear about what I am doing and they say football is for the soft man”, Kofi-Taylor told BuffStampede.com. They always talk about rugby because American football is not very popular over here. But they don’t understand the physicality and mental ability that you have to play the sport of American football. They can laugh but I don’t care because I know what my goals are and I am focused. I don’t really listen to the talk.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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LaVonta Bentley – LB

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 19th … Bentley is a 6’1″, 215-pound linebacker from Birmingham, Alabama (Jackson-Olin). He comes to Colorado by way of Clemson. Bentley will have two years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Bentley … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2019, Bentley was considered to be a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Bentley was considered to be the No. 11 inside linebacker in the nation, the No. 8 overall prospect out of the state of Alabama, and the No. 179 player in the nation. At 247 Sports, Bentley was ranked as the No. 16 inside linebacker in the country, the No. 10 overall prospect out of Alabama, and the No. 272 player in the nation.

As a Transfer Portal candidate, Bentley is ranked by Rivals as a three-star prospect, the No. 152 overall transfer in the nation.

Described as a hard-hitting linebacker, Bentley was credited with 73 tackles, five-and-a-half sacks, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles in 417 defensive snaps across 40 career games with the Tigers. He was also a three-time ACC Honor Roll selection.

High school evaluation by 247 Sports A little undersized at 6-0, but is compact and powerful. Physical, tackles through player, can move a pile and his strong. Consistent and productive against run. Plays fast and reacts quickly. Built to play in box and be run stopper. Shoots gaps well. Gets through traffic and locates ball carrier. Effective blitzer. High character and tough. Works hard. Must add hip flexibility to play lower and add to his explosion. Has to improve body control to keep from overrunning plays. Coverage skills need work to be three-down player. Multi-year starter at Top-20 power program. Late NFL draft pick or free agent.

Bentley had other offers from … at least a dozen Power Five schools, including Clemson, where he signed. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Oregon, Nebraska, and LSU were all suitors.

In his own words … “I just knew this was the right fit for me to showcase my talent because all eyes on Colorado right now. All eyes on us,” Bentley told CU Sports Report soon after announcing his decision.

“… At this point I’m just ready to ball because it’s bigger than me. I’ve got a family to feed. I [made] the best of my opportunity. At Clemson, when I got my number called and I go in, I made the best of it. But now I’m at the point where it’s my fifth year — ain’t no more time to be wasted sitting on the sideline. I’ve got my dreams right in front of me. With this football, it can take you to many places. Like I said, I’ve got a family to feed. It’s bigger to me, as I realized growing up. The place that we come from, it’s rough, so I’m just trying to change that whole thing [for my family] and just ball out. This is the year to do that, and I thank God I’m in the right place to do that with all the exposure that’s going to be [on Colorado]. All I’ve got to do is be me, really. Trust the process.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Assad Waseem – WR

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 10th … Waseem is a 6’0″, 175-pound wide receiver from Ocoee, Florida … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Waseem … Waseem is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Waseem is rated as the No. 114 wide receiver in the nation, the No. 112 overall prospect out of the state of Florida, and the No. 1288 overall prospect in the country.

2022: Leading receiver for an Ocoee program that made an appearance in Florida’s 4M semifinals. In 14 games, caught 82 passes for 1,481 yards and 20 TD. Also got some snaps on defense where he picked off a pair of passes and was able to make an impact in the return game returning a kickoff 95 yards for a score against Miami Columbus.

2021: Attended Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange where he worked in the same offense as Oklahoma WR signee Jayden Gibson. In 13 games, hauled in 36 passes for 463 yards and 5 TD. Also blocked a punt on special teams and returned a punt for a touchdown.

Waseem had other offers from … a dozen Power Five schools, including Tennessee, West Virginia, Pitt, Ole Miss, Miami, Kentucky and Arkansas.

In his own words … “I’m very excited,” Waseem told Rivals. “Everybody knows Deion Sanders. That’s really one of my inspirations growing up watching his film high-stepping into the end zone, just showing that swag. That’s what I really like about him. I’m really big on swag and being yourself. So this staff, they’re all about having swag and getting it done on the field. I really like that.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Taje McCoy – DL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 12th … McCoy is a 6’3″, 245-pound defensive end from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Putnam City) … Rivals bio247 Sports

What others have to say about McCoy … McCoy is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, but, almost inexplicably due to his offer sheet, remains unrated by 247 Sports. At Rivals, McCoy is considered as the No. 10 overall prospect out of the state of Oklahoma, and the No. 49 defensive end in the nation. In his senior season, McCoy had 89 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss and six sacks.

McCoy had other offers from … seven other Power Five schools (which again, makes you wonder why he wasn’t rated by 247 Sports this late in the process). McCoy had offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Iowa State and Kansas from the Big 12, along with Missouri and Vanderbilt from the SEC.

In his own wordsAll my life I played running back and linebacker until my sophomore year when they told me that they wanted to move me to edge. It was in a JV game. I found a position that suited me. It was a weight lifted off my shoulders because all I had to do was go get the quarterback. My coach, Rufus Alexander, tried me out at that position and it took off from there. That first game my junior year, I knew something special was about to happen.  

I spent that whole summer working on more technique. My coach, Le Jones, we tweaked everything. He really broke down my game. He broke down everything I needed to work on. Hand placement, shooting my hands, working technique on pass rush, giving me an arsenal of moves in my toolbox.  

I came out hard this year. Everybody got to see my dominate, seeing what I would do. I picked up where I left off last year. I worked out when no one was watching, putting in extra work.  

When the offers really started coming in, I took it all in and tried to stay humble. Everyone gets a big ego when they get a lot of offers but none of my friends can say I changed.  

I’m humbled and blessed to announce that I will be playing — and dominating — at the University of Colorado. I plan on dominating for the next three years. 

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Shane Cokes – DL

Here is a link to his CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 20th … Cokes is a 6’3″, 275-pound defensive lineman from Dayton, Ohio. He comes to Colorado by way of Dartmouth. He will have two years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Cokes … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2019, Cokes was unrated by either recruiting service.

This past season he played in 10 games and produced 53 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 8.5 TFLs, 2 QB hurries, one forced fumble and one pass break-up. Over the past two seasons, Cokes has generated 49 pressures from the interior and possesses ideal size at 6-foot-3, 275-pounds and has been a back-to-back second-team All-IVY League selection.

“He is a destroyer of the line of scrimmage” – Duane Brooks (Dartmouth DL Coach)

Cokes had other offers from … only smaller schools out of high school, including a number of Ivy League schools, along with schools like Army and Holy Cross. As a Transfer Portal candidate, however, Cokes reported offers from Miami, Iowa State, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Washington State, Purdue and Wake Forest.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Savion Washington – OL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 19th … Washington is a 6’9″, 342-pound offensive tackle from Akron, Ohio (St. Vincent – St. Mary). He comes to Colorado by way of Kent State, where he was coached by new CU offensive coordinator Sean Lewis, who was the head coach for the Zips. Washington will have three years to play two at CU … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others say about Washington … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2020, Washington was rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals, but a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. At 247 Sports, Washington was rated as the No. 189 offensive tackle in the nation, the No. 92 player overall out of Ohio, and the No. 2359 player overall in the country.

With Washington anchoring the right side of the offensive line, Kent State led the MAC in rushing yards this past season. Washington’s 75.9 grade from Pro Football Focus in 11 games this fall ranked first among the Golden Flashes’ offensive linemen and was a substantially better grade than any CU offensive lineman in 2022. Pro Football Focus graded Washington as the No. 61 overall tackle in its database last season, with a 79.0 pass-block grade and a 72.3 rush-block grade that rate well above average in college football.

Washington had other offers from … Michigan State and Syracuse from the Power Five, along with numerous Mid-American Conference schools. In the Transfer Portal, CU’s main competition for Washington’s services was Oklahoma State.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

 

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Taijh Alston – DL

Here is a link to his official CUBuffs.com bio

Just the facts … Committed December 18th … Alston is a 6’4″, 255-pound defensive lineman from Cameron, North Carolina. Alston comes to Colorado by way of East Carolina and West Virginia. Alston has one year of eligibility remaining … Rivals bio247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Alston … Alston was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2017, and was considered a three-point prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Alston was rated as the No. 44 weakside defensive end in the nation, while at 247 Sports, Alston was listed as the No. 7 weakside defensive end in the nation, the No. 13 overall prospect out of the state of North Carolina, and the No. 64 overall prospect in the country.

Alston began his college career at East Carolina, where he redshirted in 2017. He then played at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and earned First-Team All-Mississippi JUCO honors in 2018 before transferring to West Virginia in 2019.  Alston saw action in 28 games games with the Mountaineers and he recorded a total of 56 tackles, eight sacks and four forced fumbles.

Alston had other offers from … only a handful of schools back in 2017, with Alston choosing East Carolina over West Virginia.

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44 Replies to “CU Class of ’23 – Signed LOI”

  1. Here is what prime is up against
    2023 recruiting
    Alabama 7 five stars, 20 four stars
    Georgia 2 five stars 23 four stars
    Texas 4 five stars 12 four stars
    Miami 3 five stars 17 four stars
    Oklahoma 3 five stars 15 fours stars
    Lsu 1 five star 21 fours stars
    Ohio state 1 five star 16 four stars
    ND 0 five stars 20 four stars
    Tennessee 1 five stars 12 four stars
    Oregon 2 five stars 19 four stars
    USC 3 five stars 10 4 stars
    Colorado 1 five star 4 four stars.

    The Prime Boys have to make a move this year to increase the real 5 star and 4 star players. A Bust this year and :there is trouble right here in the city of boulder.

    Coaching has to be unbelievable.
    Yup

    1. Fortunately, of that list of teams w/ the top rated recruits, only two of them are on next year’s schedule. But then again, for the better part of 20yrs, up until maybe 2023, almost every opponent’s roster has been better than CU’s. I’m pretty thankful that tide seems to be turning.

      Go Buffs

  2. What a Christmas.
    The presents just keep coming
    Santa Prime.

    And based on different comments by analysts, IT AIN’T OVER.
    12 WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS.

    Mein Gott what a time to be a Buff fan.

    THE PHOENIX BUFFS ARE RISING.

    CAN’T WAIT.

    GO PRIME BUFFS.

    Note: Now I gotta say I gotta see em play before I am all in but the start of the PRIME REIGN is pretty much unbelievable.

  3. Am I dreaming ? If so don’t wake me up…
    “With the addition of Horn and Traore, CU’s transfer class moved up to No. 3 in the national rankings on 247Sports, behind Michigan and Florida State.”

    1. Sorry, but it’s Christmas, and we have 16 for dinner. I’ll have the bio for Weisman up later tonight (along with the tight end transfer, Seydou Traore)

  4. Merry Christmas one and all. Jimmy Horn, Jr., wide receiver from University of South Florida is now shown on the Buff social media pages as a Buff.

  5. It is clear!
    Transfer portal is upgrade / restock
    Not only quality but quantity available if you want.
    Transfers
    10 CU
    17 ASU
    11 Michigan state

    58 teams picking up transfers so far.

    Go Buffs MORE MORE MORE MORE

    Note: Prime formula
    40% undergrade transfer
    40% grad transfer
    20% High school.
    Not possible!!
    So assume he gets 35 a year. (which it looks like it could be this year)
    Not gonna happen.
    Merry Prime day

  6. Hey Stuart , Do you know anything about QB Kasen Weisman , KU commit who 247 Sports says flipped to Colorado on his late visit ?

    1. As far as I know, he never committed to CU, he just decommitted from Kansas.
      The last day of the “Early Signing Period” is today, so we’ll either know today where he is going, or we won’t know for sure until the Second Signing Day on February 1st.

  7. I am gonna say this
    Transfer portal ave ranking
    3. UCLA 89.33
    4. USC 90.60
    5. Oregon 90.40
    7. Colorado 91.25

    Rankings have that funny formula. Buffs get hit on having some 2 stars or unrated, and buffs have 1 five and one 4

    Unheard of, impossible, Unbelievable.

    Go Buffs

  8. It appears to me that each and everyone of these new members of the Mighty Buffs will play and maybe start. Okay 3 or 4 exceptions

    GO NEW MIGHTY BUFFS

  9. Rivals is saying that 5 star CB Cormani McClain may still be available for the Buffs.
    Paired with Hunter where is an opposing QB to go?
    Hopefully Prime will find a monster or 2 on the edge.

  10. What sticks out to me is a significant upgrade in speed, an area where we have been woefully deficient. Speed + uptempo + altitude = POINTS

    That said, games are won and/or lost in the trenches, so I’ll be looking at how they fill OL and DL as the process unfolds.

    Tagging on to the other contributors, thank you Stuart for all the work you do to keep us all informed and Merry Christmas!! Stay warm.

    1. Thanks, Michael, for the kind words.
      Hopefully, the large recruits coming in will be good at protecting our quarterback – and getting after the opposition’s QB.

      Merry Christmas to you as well!

  11. Travis HUNTER!!!!! Wowww, best news to wake up to!!!! Now, not to be too greedy, but if they can somehow pull off and sign Cormani McClain. #1 DB on each side? Merry Xmas all….
    Merry Xmas Stuart!!! And great job on a very busy day(month), and always

  12. nice job Stu

    glad you continue doing what you said you might not want to do anymore
    -47. nice

    keep it up Mr. Buff

    APPRECIATED

    1. Thanks,
      I had planned to take a month off after the Spring game, just to see what it felt like to walk away for awhile.
      Probably not happening now 🙂

    1. Thanks, I was busy taping a podcast for release for tomorrow.
      I’ll have to have a chat with Coach Prime. I guess being on the computer for ten hours wasn’t enough …

  13. Thus far I would rate this class as Samsonite. Certainly better than the American Tourister we’ve been getting. But not exactly Louis as promised.

    Final luggage grade to come in February.

  14. I like it.

    Stu, as the CU football (and other sports’) historian, how would you rate this class so far compared to say anything since anyone’s been paying attention (which means like 2000 or so, probably)?

    To me what sticks out – beyond the fact that it’s early days for the new staff – is that if you look at the list of visitors since Deion became coach, they seem to be, in general, a higher level of player than we’ve seen in recent history. Same for those who’ve committed.

    I’m judging that, based on the fact we flipped a handful from other programs, not named Rice, or directional state. And, the guys they didn’t flip but brought in, and/or kept from Dorrell and co’s efforts seem to also be the guys w/ more offers from schools we’d like to consider ourselves able to compete with/against for talent.

    Beyond all that, there’s still the February signing date, and all the transfer activity, particularly as teams in bowls play their final game/s.

    Looking like a good bit of progress, immediately, to me. Now, as we all know, they gotta go play. But it appears this group of players will be able to play at a higher level than we’ve seen in recent memory for CU.

    I’m sure you’ve got plans for an essay/column on your thoughts, so… I’ll be patient and wait for it.

    Thanks again for all you do for us as Buffs.

    Merry Christmas, happy Hanukah, and most especially, have a great Festivus.

    https://media.tenor.com/LuNHNadhgK0AAAAM/merry-new-year-eddiemurphy.gif

    Go Buffs

    1. Thanks, we’ll be taping a podcast tonight, which will be up first thing tomorrow.
      My Essay for the weekend, as you may have guessed, will also be recruiting related.
      Thanks for your posts. I hope you have a good Holiday weekend as well … going to be 38-below here tonight. Sigh!

  15. Great to see some Buffalo beef via the transfer portal on both sides of the line, win in the trenches
    so nice to have some excitement going…Go Buffs !!

  16. Can’t wait to hear Mark Johnson call “Oh-na-vu-ge” going down the side lines leaving so much smoke, officials can’t see ‘eem.

    GO RALPHIE GO !!!!!!

  17. Impressed (w/both the signings and your service), no one else could have pulled players w/these types of offer sheets. Like the focus on JC OLs.

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