Colorado Makes Final Cut for Elite Athlete Recruit

The Colorado Buffaloes have been named a finalist by an up-and-coming multi-positional athlete.

Oct 26, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first quarter Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

On Monday, the Colorado Buffaloes made more progress on their 2027 recruiting class. Darryl Flemister, who hails from Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Michigan, named the Buffs to his final five schools on X.

247Sports lists Flemister as a three-star athlete, the No. 22 recruit from the state of Michigan and the No. 1,300 overall recruit in the class of 2027. He would bring excellent versatility to the Buffaloes, so here’s a look at how they can secure a commitment from him.

How Colorado must recruit Darryl Flemister in June

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

According to 247Sports, Flemister is set to announce his commitment on July 4. This gives the Buffaloes just over a month to make their case to Flemister, and they need to focus hard on his recruitment to do so.

No major recruiting sites, nor Flemister, have announced him visiting Boulder, officially or otherwise. Now that the Buffaloes know that they are near the top of Flemister’s list despite not having hosted him for a visit, they can be confident in what a visit would do for their chances.

Coach Deion Sanders’s track record for landing commitments from recruits who end up in Boulder is strong. Colorado’s recent recruiting weekend from May 15 to May 16 is evidence of that. According to 247Sports, Colorado landed commitments from four recruits who visited in just those two days. If the Buffaloes can get Flemister in Boulder, it could be hard for him to commit elsewhere.

Colorado’s competition for Darryl Flemister

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz watches game action against the Southern California Trojans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The other four teams that Flemister named to his final five were the Illinois Fighting Illini, the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Wisconsin Badgers and the Pittsburgh Panthers.

The two that are in the best standing with Flemister to start June are the Illini and the Hawkeyes. They are the only two programs that have scheduled official visits with Flemister, and he’s unofficially visited them both as well, per Rivals. 

What’s worse for the Buffaloes is the fact that Rivals reports that Flemister has unofficially visited both Pittsburgh and Wisconsin as well. This leaves Colorado significantly behind the eight ball in its pursuit of Flemister.

A silver lining comes with that, though. The fact that Colorado made Flemister’s top five despite being the one program he hasn’t visited proves how interested he is in the program. If the Buffs are able to get a visit on the calendar, there’s no telling how much that interest could increase.

How Darryl Flemister could emerge as Colorado’s next two-way star

Detroit King Darryl Flemister (3) gives a thumbs up to the sideline as he lines up on the line of scrimmage during the Prep Bowl against Detroit Catholic Central at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Flemister is an underrated commodity. He plays quarterback, wide receiver, cornerback and safety with the Crusaders, and excels at all four positions. Despite his smaller 5-11, 170-pound stature, he's a hard hitter who can also win with his plus speed.

While Flemister is mainly looked at as a safety at the next level, Colorado is known for allowing players to play multiple positions. That factor could explain Flemister’s interest in the Buffs despite not yet visiting Boulder.

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter poses for a photo after winning the Heisman Trophy award during the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The first Buff that comes to mind is obviously Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. However, there have been even more recent examples of Buffaloes playing multiple positions in the Coach Prime era. 

In 2025, Yahya Attia played snaps as a center, left guard, right guard and tight end on the offensive line. He’s likely to do the same in 2026, where the Buffs will have another multi-positional athlete on the defensive side. Sanders confirmed that Boo Carter will be playing safety, cornerback, slot, punt returner and kick returner.

If the Buffs can connect Flemister with those players, they can sell the vision of what Colorado has done for their careers. If they can get Flemister to buy in, a commitment could follow close behind.

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