Colorado Recruiting Buzz Builds With Four-Star Former SEC Commit

The Colorado Buffaloes look ready to flip ex-South Carolina wide receiver pledge Jaiden Kelly-Murray on Memorial Day weekend.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs onto the field before the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes ignited new noise on the recruiting trail following the weekend of May 16. Colorado skyrocketed up the Big 12 recruiting ranks, thanks to pulling in three new verbal commits for the 2027 class.

Four-star safety Gabe Jenkins from Pittsburgh hails as the highest-rated commit from last weekend. But he may not be the only new four-star coming to Boulder, with Colorado landing in the final running for four-star wide receiver and former South Carolina pledge Jaiden Kelly-Murray.

Colorado Buffaloes Land in Final Four for Jaiden Kelly-Murray

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) before the game against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Oceanside Collegiate Academy star from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, revealed his new final four via Chad Simmons of On3/Rivals Saturday morning: Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Illinois and Colorado.

The Buffaloes manage to rise as the only Big 12 team Kelly-Murray is zeroing in on. Kansas State offered but is losing ground. West Virginia also offered early in his recruiting process, but the Mountaineers never made his last cut.

Colorado, though, appears to be the most assertive in trying to land Kelly-Murray, as he told Simmons.

"Nobody has been recruiting me like Colorado the last few weeks,” Kelly-Murray said to Simmons. “They have really picked it up since I opened things back up."

How Jaiden Kelly-Murray Fits With Colorado Buffaloes

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

Sanders has leaned on some newcomer assistants to help court recruits. Starting with the brand-new director of player personnel, Darrius Darden-Box, and the director of recruiting, Rashad Rich. The latter coach is running point on landing Kelly-Murray.

But incoming offensive coordinator Brennan Marion brings an offense tailored-made for a talent like the South Carolina native. The new "Go-Go" offense attacks downhill and vertically while dishing unpredictability toward defenses. Marion's play-action concepts are made for talents like Kelly-Murray.

He established himself as a true run-after-catch threat, especially on screens while playing for Summerville in 2025. The 5-10 wideout is even skilled at disguising his motions to fool the defenders, then hit defenses on the wheel route. His last high school also trusted him as the blow-the-top-off defense option in becoming the deep threat.

Playing under 6-0 won't bug Marion, especially since he played at Tulsa at under six-feet and helped create some explosive offenses during the early 2000s. Kelly-Murray can attack coverages inside on slant and dig routes. He's caught 145 passes for 2,159 yards and scored 27 varsity touchdowns heading into his senior season.

Landing Kelly-Murray would open this offense up in the fall of 2027. Plus, give fellow four-star quarterback Andre Adams an explosive option to work with in Boulder.

Impact of Landing Receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray

Jaiden Kelly-Murray, 2027 wide receiver Summerville High School and from Goose Creek, SC arrives for the 2025 Dabo Swinney Football Camp in Clemson, S.C. Tuesday, June 3, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina

Colorado is nearing the top 40 in national recruiting rankings now by On3. Landing Jenkins, plus former Alabama linebacker commit Ba'Roc Williams and three-star cornerback Will Rasmussen, boosted the Buffaloes greatly.

But adding Kelly-Murray can definitely get Colorado cracking the top 30, or even spark top 25 conversations.

Colorado would land its third different four-star for this recruiting class, which also would become more than the 2026 output from the Buffs, as they landed just one four-star (linebacker Carson Crawford).

The Buffaloes and Sanders are turning up the heat on the recruiting trail ahead of the summer. And are now winning over a talent who could've gone to the SEC.

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