Colorado Loses Linebacker Commitment as Recruitment Reopens

Colorado faces a fresh recruiting setback as one Ohio defender reopens his options and other programs remain involved.

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders arrives at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado’s 2027 class lost a piece Tuesday, and the timing could hardly feel worse. Three-star linebacker Jahmiere Daniels-Portis of Springfield High School in Ohio announced he has decommitted from the Colorado Buffaloes, four months after choosing them over Indiana.

His post on social media kept things short, declaring his “RECRUITMENT 100% OPEN” and listing “22 + Offers” under his name.

Oct 24, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines during the first half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

RECRUITMENT 100% OPEN‼️
2027 OLB/MLB😈😈
22 + Offers 🅾️https://t.co/GUc7D1wXCN pic.twitter.com/3Qqu2lbjmG

— Jahmiere Daniels-Portis 3⭐️ (@Miere_Daniels) October 27, 2026

Truth be told, one three-star linebacker will not sink a class. Even so, this one stings because Daniels-Portis was one of 21 recruits previously listed in Colorado’s class, leaving 20 commitments if the other pledges remain unchanged. 

For a staff that sells recruits on the spotlight around Colorado coach Deion Sanders, a decommitment in the middle of a losing streak is the opposite of positive momentum with the early signing period approaching.

Jahmiere Daniels-Portis brings real production

The rankings undersell what he does on Friday nights. As a junior, he piled up 88 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, and six forced fumbles.

Six forced fumbles in one season is the kind of number that jumps off a stat sheet, and it explains why Colorado’s staff wanted a long, rangy linebacker who keeps finding the football. His own post lists him as an outside and middle linebacker, so he brings flexibility too.

Moody's Ba’roc Willis (7) celebrates a defensive stop during the AHSAA Class 5A state championship game at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. Moody lead Vigor 18-0 at halftime. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Rivals Industry Ranking lists him at 6-foot, 210 pounds and slots him as the No. 951 prospect nationally, the No. 79 linebacker and the No. 35 player in Ohio. ESPN likes him more at the position, ranking him No. 62 among linebackers.

Andre’ Hart’s June win is back up for grabs

When Daniels-Portis committed in June, director of recruiting Rashad Rich and assistant linebackers coach Andre’ Hart led the push, and Colorado beat out a list that included Indiana, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Duke, NC State and Syracuse.

Then again, a five-game losing streak makes every commitment harder to protect. Daniels-Portis did not give a reason for his decision, and nobody should invent one, yet a commitment made during a hopeful summer looks different in late October.

Ba’Roc Willis and Jovon Pulliam hold the line

Colorado still has defensive front-seven prospects in the class, including three-star edge rusher Ba’Roc Willis, who flipped from Alabama in May, and three-star edge rusher Jovon Pulliam of Hoover High School in Alabama, who committed on June 6.

Keeping those two locked in now carries extra weight for a staff trying to build its best class under Deion Sanders while the results on the field lag behind.

Cincinnati and Indiana lead the recruiting forecast

Oct 17, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Quentin Gibson (6) gets away from Utah Utes safety Nate Ritchie (6) in the second quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On the flip side, Rivals now lists two programs Colorado beat in June as leading alternatives, and one is a Big 12 rival.

The Rivals Prediction Machine gives Cincinnati a 26% percent chance and Indiana a 23 percent chance to land him, and those two lead the field. Cincinnati plays in the Big 12, so the Buffaloes could end up seeing him across the line of scrimmage someday. 

From the look of it, Colorado’s June recruiting win may end up belonging to someone else by signing day.

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