Colorado Coach Gunnar White Explains Deion Sanders' New Recruiting Mission

Colorado Buffaloes offensive line coach Gunnar White broke down his involvement in the 2027 recruiting class during his Monday press conference.

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While only time will tell, the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2027 recruiting class was the best one of the Coach Prime era on paper. One of the main factors that contributed to CU’s success was the efforts of offensive line coach Gunnar White.

He is the leading recruiter on six of Colorado’s commitments, according to 247Sports. That group included a pair of blue-chip recruits, according to the site, and he stated that his involvement signals a shift in Colorado’s recruiting focus.

Deion Sanders’s new mentality towards recruiting

Deion Sanders takes in the second day of Cleveland Browns training camp, July 30, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

When White was asked why he felt it was so important to be involved in the recruiting this season, he credited a new mentality from coach Deion Sanders.

“It starts with Coach Prime,” White said. “He wanted to set a mission for the recruiting to be different. In the past, we haven’t been heavy on high school guys, but this season, he said he wanted 20 or 21 [high school recruits]. I wanted to make sure that I was at the forefront of that, and it all starts up front with the offensive line and the defensive line, too.”

The 2027 class was the first time Colorado secured 20 or more commitments from the high school ranks since 2023, right after Coach Prime’s arrival in Boulder. For Colorado to generate that type of attention from recruits after a down season, it is impressive to say the least.

The importance of recruiting

Recruit Dewey Young of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was in attendance at the Ohio State football game against Minnesota at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 4, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It shows the dedication that Sanders, White and the rest of the staff now have to high school recruiting. In an era of college football defined by NIL and the transfer portal, White highlighted the importance of being able to retain players and develop them into the program’s stars of the future.

“If you don’t have those guys, and you’re not getting them in and building them into your program, [it’s not ideal],” White said. “Ideally, you want to keep everybody and not have to depend on the portal. So once you get them in, you get good habits built that you want; it self-grooms and cultivates on its own. That way, if you do have to go into the portal, you just get one or two [players], and there aren’t as many variables to it.”

Gunnar White’s efforts in the 2027 recruiting class

Tupelo's Kylan Bobo (29) maneuvers past Brandon's defensive line during play in Brandon, Miss., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. Tupelo won 36-15. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

White’s commitment to recruiting wasn’t just talk, either. He backed it up with the commitments he landed. Even though White hasn’t landed a commitment since July 6, he’s still the No. 2 recruiter in the Big 12 for the class of 2027, according to 247Sports.

The site lists him as the leading recruiter for two of Colorado’s blue-chip recruits. Those players are four-star offensive tackles, Dewey Young and Li’Marcus Jones. After landing Young’s commitment, 247Sports listed White as the No. 1 recruiter in the Big 12 for a period of time. 

He also recruited his home state of Mississippi well, landing commitments from running back Kylan Bobo and offensive tackle Coderro McDaniel, according to the site. 

If Colorado’s 2027 class lives up to its potential, Buffs fans and coaches alike will have White to thank for the initiative he took under Sanders’s new mission.

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