Buffs Beat

Colorado Buffaloes Flip Coveted In-State Prospect, Add To 2026 Recruiting Class

A class of 2026 offensive lineman from nearby Loveland, three-star prospect Josiah Manu announced his commitment to Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday. Manu weighs nearly 300 pounds and was previously on board with the San Jose State Spartans.
Jack Carlough|
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Colorado BuffaloesSan Jose State Spartans

Landing the best in-state prospects is critical for any college football program, and the Colorado Buffaloes accomplished just that on Saturday as Loveland's own Josiah Manu announced his commitment to coach Deion Sanders' program.

Manu is a class of 2026 offensive tackle from Thompson Valley High School, located about 45 minutes north of Boulder. The 247Sports composite ranks the three-star Manu as the No. 108 offensive tackle in his recruiting class and the No. 14 prospect in the state of Colorado.

The Mountain West Conference's San Jose State Spartans had owned Manu's commitment since July 1, but he'll now be taking his talents to the Big 12 Conference.

Josiah Manu Announces Colorado Commitment

Colorado Buffaloes Flip In-State Prospect 2026 Recruiting Class Josiah Manu Commitment Loveland Deion Sanders Coach Prime
Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field during the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In announcing his commitment to the Buffs on social media, Manu thanked his family, friends and coaches at Thompson Valley before sharing his gratitude for "Coach Prime" and Colorado offensive line coaches George Hegamin and Gunnar White.

"I want to thank Coach White, Coach Hegamin & Coach Prime for this blessing to compete at the next level," Manu wrote.

Other programs that have expressed interest in Manu include the Arizona Wildcats, Wyoming Cowboys, Washington State Cougars and South Dakota Coyotes. Colorado will battle both Arizona and Wyoming this upcoming season as Manu navigates his senior year at Thompson Valley.

In an interview with BuffStampede's Adam Munsterteiger, Manu said that Colorado's coaches and the number of former players now finding success in the NFL played a big role in his commitment. Eight players from last year's Colorado team landed an NFL contract this offseason, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns) and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars).

"Honestly, I would say level of competition and coaching staff is the biggest thing," Manu told Munsterteiger regarding his Colorado commitment. "They've got a lot of great coaches over there and I keep seeing stuff about ex-Buff players just performing so well in the NFL as well."

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Colorado Buffaloes Class Of 2026 Commitments

Colorado Buffaloes Flip In-State Prospect 2026 Recruiting Class Josiah Manu Commitment Loveland Deion Sanders Coach Prime
Carthage's Carson Crawford makes a catch during the 4A DII UIL Texas State Football Championship game against Waco La Vega on Friday, December 20, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Coach Prime" now owns 11 class of 2026 commitments, including three offensive linemen.

  • Four-star safety Preston Ashley (Brandon, Mississippi)
  • Three-star tight end Gavin Mueller (South Elgin, Illinois)
  • Three-star linebacker Colby Johnson (Sammamish, Washington)
  • Three-star EDGE Domata Peko Jr. (Ventura, California)
  • Three-star cornerback Maurice Williams (New Orleans, Louisiana)
  • Three-star offensive tackle Xavier Payne (Miami, Florida)
  • Three-star safety D'Montae Tims (Seffner, Florida)
  • Four-star linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. (Newnan, Georgia)
  • Three-star offensive lineman Ben Gula (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
  • Three-star offensive tackle Josiah Manu (Loveland, Colorado)

Colorado Buffaloes 2026 Recruiting Class Rankings

Colorado Buffaloes Flip In-State Prospect 2026 Recruiting Class Josiah Manu Commitment Loveland Deion Sanders Coach Prime
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; 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

With Manu now headed to Boulder, Colorado's 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 78 nationally and last in the Big 12, according to 247Sports. The BYU Cougars, who own 20 commits, have the highest-ranked class in the Big 12, followed by the Texas Tech Red Raiders (19 commits).

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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