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Colorado Buffaloes Targeting Fast-Rising Texas Recruit

The Buffaloes continue to make their presence in Dallas on the recruiting trail, this time offering this wide receiver/cornerback.
Lorenzo Reyna|
Deion Sanders before a 2025 Colorado game
Deion Sanders before a 2025 Colorado game | Kris Miller/SI

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Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes hold three verbal commitments for the class of 2027 recruiting cycle. But the Buffaloes are dishing out multiple offers during the NCAA spring evaluation period.

Now the Buffaloes offered a fast-rising wide receiver/cornerback from a familiar place: Dallas, Texas.

Colorado Buffaloes' Latest Recruiting Target

Deion Sanders Colorado Colorado football Colorado recruiting Kingston Thornton College Football Recruiting Big 12 Dallas
CU football head coach Deion Sanders, or Coach Prime, watches his team warm up before the game against CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Fort Collins, Colo. | Cris Tiller/For the Coloradoan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CU extended an offer to Kingston Thornton of Parish Episcopal School in Dallas. The 6-foot-2 talent reported the offer on Friday evening, citing inside receivers coach Rashad Davis as the man who extended the offer to him.

Thornton remains unranked by 247Sports and On3/Rivals. But he's closing fast on 10 scholarship offers. Brigham Young represents one other Big 12 opportunity outside of Colorado. SMU out of the ACC represents one local opportunity. On3/Rivals currently favors the Mustangs to win over Thornton, handing him a 63.6 percent confidence score he'll choose the Mustangs.

Thornton's offer paints the picture that the Buffs wants him as a wide receiver. Colorado holds no verbal commitments at that position as of Friday. So Thornton can alleviate some stress if he accepts the offer.

However, he's delivered his best visible work on the other side of the field.

Colorado can land Big, Physical Cornerback

Colorado Colorado football DJ McKinney Deion Sanders College Football Recruiting Kingston Thornton Dallas Colorado Recruiting
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback DJ McKinney (8) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Thornton is rising up on the recruiting trail following a breakout junior season.

He closed down on the line of scrimmage and delivered punishing hits against the run. Thornton delivered a total of 36 tackles.

But Colorado coach Deion Sanders and incoming defensive coordinator Chris Marve likely will fawn over his coverage skills.

The long and physical Thornton swatted an astonishing 18 passes his side. He showed his ball-hawking side in collecting three interceptions and delivering one pick six.

Thornton doesn't just present press man coverage instincts. He shows strong range in covering his ground deep. He then turns to his wide receiver hands to softly grab the football from the sky.

He built a decorated 2025 season that featured All-District First Team honors, plus First-Team All-State. And he starred in a historic football hotbed when it comes to high school sports.

But arguably his biggest accolade came in the 2025 TAPPS Division I state title game: Earning Defensive Player of the Game honors in helping shut down Plano Prestonwood 14-7. Thornton snatched the game-clinching interception with 44 seconds left to seal the title.

Could Thornton fit at Colorado?

Colorado Colorado football DJ McKinney Kingston Thornton College Football Recruiting Big 12 Deion Sanders Colorado recruiting
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes cornerback DJ McKinney (8) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Buffaloes will have plenty of room to add Thornton if he chooses the Buffaloes. Even with Davon Dericho currently committed as a cornerback for Colorado.

The incoming defensive coordinator Marve is installing a 4-2-5 look that aims to be more versatile and relentless. He even hinted at running with three defensive linemen, but keeping the five defensive back look when CU flips there.

This scheme allows safeties to walk down and play closer to the line of scrimmage. But Marve additionally plans to disguise his coverages to confuse quarterbacks.

Thronton hands CU a towering presence greatly needed to withstand the high volume of stout wide receiver play in the Big 12. Especially after the conference just produced Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State as a top 10 NFL Draft pick.

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Lorenzo Reyna
LORENZO REYNA

Lorenzo J Reyna is a sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Colorado Buffaloes On SI. He brings nearly two decades of sports writing experience, including coverage of Cal, Stanford, San Jose State and Fresno State for 247Sports. He also wrote about an incoming high school freshman named Jayden Daniels before he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Washington Commanders. Also known as "Zo" to his colleagues, his other writing credits include ClutchPoints, Athlon Sports, Roundtable, the Santa Maria Times and freelanced once for the Los Angeles Times. He enjoys living near a beach, having multiple cups of coffee, and listening to old school R&B/Hip-Hop in his down time.

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