Colorado Buffaloes Emerge as Big Summer Recruiting Winners

The Colorado Buffaloes compiled multiple victories in landing these high-profile recruits.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes have five months left to officially secure their 2027 recruiting class.

Colorado is nowhere near the top 10, let alone the top 30. However, the Buffaloes are proving they're in far better shape recruiting-wise compared to last year. And have emerged as one of the summer's biggest winners in the recruit world for multiple reasons.

Colorado Surged Inside Top 40 in Recruiting Rankings

CU football head coach Deion Sanders, or Coach Prime, watches his team warm up before the game against CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Under coach Deion Sanders' leadership plus reliance on new staff members, Colorado is ranked higher than the 2026 ranking it earned (No. 51 overall). The Buffaloes now land at No. 35 overall per 247Sports.

Although Colorado is ranked lower per On3/Rivals, but sit outside of the top 45 with its No. 42 ranking.

Having a healthy Sanders following his bout with bladder cancer certainly has sparked this recruiting momentum. But again, Coach Prime and the Buffaloes are benefitting from having multiple heavy lifters on the recruiting trail.

Director of recruiting Rashad Rich brings his past expertise over from Penn State during a time when he built classes with former coach James Franklin. Rich has won over some prominent blue-chip recruits out east in the process. Director of player personnel Darrius Darden-Box is one more who helps seal the sales pitches for prominent recruits.

Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion is another showing his mettle as a recruiter especially in the Midwest region (Marion presents deep ties there). Assistant offensive line coach Gunnar White is one more notable coach who's coaxing recruits, particularly a notable flip from SEC country.

Notable Recruits Colorado Landed

Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffaloes own 19 verbal commits as of the Fourth of July. Four are rated as four-stars per 247Sports composite rankings. The aforementioned Sanders assistants have a lot to do with sealing these May/June decisions:

Li'Marcus Jones, Tackle: The four-star from Tennessee powerhouse Brentwood Academy landed on some SEC radars and placed Mississippi State in his final running. White assisted in pulling off this massive pre-Memorial Day recruiting coup as Jones told Chad Simmons of On3/Rivals.

Gabe Jenkins, Safety: He's one more four-star and Colorado's highest-ranked defensive recruit, who helped comprise the May wins for the Buffaloes. The standout from Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, Jenkins had Rich run point on his recruitment. The 6-2 defender turned down offers from Penn State, Michigan, and even Florida and Georgia out of the SEC for Jenkins.

Jaiden Kelly-Murray, Wide Receiver: The four-star and former South Carolina commit looks like a prime fit for Marion's explosive "Go-Go" offense. Rich plus inside wide receivers coach Rashad Davis completed this May recruiting victory of the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina talent.

Coderro McDaniel, Tackle: White pulled off the massive flip of the Ole Miss commit during June. The assistant line coach's Mississippi ties came in handy here.

Colorado Made up for Recruiting Losses

Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the start of the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here's another reason why Colorado emerges as a big summer recruiting winner: making up for notable losses.

For instance, the Buffaloes appeared to emerge as the favorites to land four-star defensive tackles Tyler Alexander and Khyren Haywood. Both chose Texas and Texas Tech, respectively. But Colorado made up for it by landing three different recruits between June 6-7: three-star tackle Zaquan Linton, three-star edge rusher Jovon Pulliam and one more three-star in safety Samari Howard.

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado also couldn't hang onto unranked running back commit Steven Alexis who pivoted to Illinois. But the Buffaloes landed three-star from Tupelo, Mississippi Kylan Bobo in response, who's Colorado's most recent commit from July 1.

This Buffaloes class now owns more four-star commits and a higher recruiting ranking compared to last year. Plus sit inside the Big 12's top five recruit rankings per the national outlets.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.