Colorado Continues Special Teams Recruiting Push With Latest Blue-Chip Offer

The Colorado Buffaloes continued their efforts to build their 2027 special teams class by offering another blue-chip kicking recruit.

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the second half against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Only four days after the Colorado Buffaloes secured a commitment from blue-chip class of 2027 kicker Cadel Ayala, they made another move for a specialist in the same class. Dwayne Carter, a kicker and punter who has been listed as a four-star recruit by Chris Sailer Kicking, was given his first Division I offer by the Buffs on June 30, according to his X account.

The Buffs are close to even further reinforcing their special teams units as they are ahead of the pack on Carter’s recruitment.

What Dwayne Carter’s commitment would mean for Colorado Buffaloes

Nov 16, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders calls in a play in the first quarter against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

If the Buffaloes can secure a commitment from Carter, they would piece together a special teams position battle for the ages in 2027. Carter will not only join a fellow freshman kicker in Ayala, but they’ll both be battling experienced kicker Elliot Arnold for the starting role.

Out of high school, Arnold was listed as a five-star recruit by Kohl’s Kicking Camps, which is a recruiting site of similar prestige to Chris Sailer Kicking in their specialist evaluation. He’s lived up to the hype thus far, with Coach Prime confirming that his battle for the starting role in 2026 wasn’t even a competition. 

“It's not a competition,” said Sanders during the final week of spring camp. “Elliot is the guy.”

The competition that will arise if the Buffaloes have a kicking battle between three blue-chip recruits will bring immense benefits to Colorado. It will not only ensure that it finds the best man for the job, but it will elevate the level each kicker is playing at in order to win the job.

Explaining the Colorado Buffaloes’ recent special teams recruiting push

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders calls out in the second quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Buffaloes’ recent recruiting focus on special teams in June was the only period of that nature in the 2027 recruiting cycle. The cause behind this unusual recruiting push is a problem the Buffaloes find themselves with on their 2026 roster.

Colorado is heavily lacking depth in the kicking game. One season ago, they had a specialized kicker for both place kicking and kickoffs, with Alejandro Mata and Buck Buchanan handling those responsibilities, respectively. But now, Arnold is the only kicker on Colorado’s roster.

The man he was competing against in the spring, Grambling transfer Josh McCormick, left the Buffs roster after losing the position battle. And while injuries aren’t common among kickers, the Buffs will find themselves in a detrimental situation if Arnold sustains one during the season.

Colorado doesn’t want to face this issue again in the future, and it is aggressively building its roster to avoid it in coming seasons.

Colorado Buffaloes’ early involvement in Dwayne Carter’s recruitment

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado’s aggressiveness will play heavily to its benefit in Carter’s recruiting process. Given that the Buffs extended him his first offer, along with the fact that they’ve hosted him for workouts at their practice facility as seen on his X account, they will be hard to outdo.

Progress!! Working on standing taller through my operation, but progress nonetheless! pic.twitter.com/fPoBWajEO5

— Dwayne Carter (@2_txne) June 11, 2026

Any other program that pursues Carter in the future will be playing catch-up. Athough he still has work to do in his development, Colorado is more likely to reap the rewards of investing in Carter early.

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