Three Deion Sanders Recruits Who Deserve More National Attention

The Colorado Buffaloes rearranged how they go after talent now. Coach Deion Sanders made light of this during his 2026 Big 12 Conference Media Days appearance.

Sanders still hunts for talent in the portal, but now has leaned heavily into pursuing blue-chip prospects from the high school ranks. Landing Class of 2027 four-stars Li'Marcus Jones at tackle, Jaiden Kelly-Murray at wide receiver and Gabe Jenkins at safety fuels new intrigue for Colorado's future.

But including a 2026 signing, Colorado presents three talents who deserve more national attention, starting with a potential early starter on the offensive line this fall.

Three-Star Offensive Tackle Xavier Payne

Colorado Buffaloes Deion Sanders Big 12 College Football Recruiting Xavier Payne Folsom Field LiMarcus Jones — Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders greets players before the start of the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado still must wait until the fall of 2027 for the arrival of the Tennessee talent Jones.

But the 2026 signing Payne looks ready to push for playing time especially after enrolling early.

Payne presents an intriguing mix of 6-7, 320-pound size with quick feet and heavy hands. The latter rose as his biggest strength while playing his high school football at Jones High in Orlando, Florida. Payne contained the edge speed off of his feet, power and tenacity while facing college-caliber talents along the defensive line.

He's got a great chance to become a tone setter for future Colorado offensive lines while contending for the blind side spot. Payne arrives as a three-star prospect, though, which explains why he's less heralded compared to his lineman peers.

Yet his blocking prowess landed additional offers from Florida State, to which he briefly committed, plus got on the recruiting radar at Arkansas, Arizona, Florida and even National Championship Game runner-up Miami. So Sanders plus Colorado offensive line coaches Andre Gurode and Gunnar White land a talent who could've easily lined up in the SEC or for an aspiring national title winner with the Hurricanes. But Colorado lands a potential impact player for a revamped offensive line.

Three-Star Edge Rusher Jovon Pulliam

Jovon Pulliam Colorado Buffaloes Hoover High School Jamarion Williams Dein Sanders Andre Hart Ba'Roc Willis — Hoover's Jovon Pulliam (7) causes Prattville's Jamarion Williams (4) to fumble during their game in Prattville, Ala., on Friday September 19, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Landing three-star edge rusher Ba'Roc Willis surfaced as a recruiting-shifting move, as he previously was committed to Alabama. But Pulliam is one Yellowhammer State star to watch closely for the 2027 class.

He looks quicker off the ball, too. Pulliam slipped past blockers out of both the two-point and even four-point stance, looking explosive off the snap regardless of alignment. He turned to his closing speed to create backfield destruction.

Pulliam collected 13 tackles for a loss with nine sacks. But his edge rushing prowess isn't the only intriguing aspect of Pulliam's game. Hoover High even trusted Pulliam to rush as an inside linebacker, which now hands Colorado defensive coordinator Chris Marve a potential chess piece here.

Edge rush coach Andre' Hart led the charge in landing Pulliam, who turned down ACC opportunities from Wake Forest and Boston College (the latter coached by former NFL playoff coach Bill O'Brien) for the Buffaloes. Pulliam's versatility and quickness make him look more like an SEC target, but Colorado wins this one.

Three-Star Cornerback Prince Washington

Colorado Buffaloes Deion Sanders Colorado State Rams Canvas Stadium Big 12 Prince Washington Jovon Pulliam Xavier Payne — 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. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Colorado offered an unranked Washington back in May, according to his social media post about the offer. Then delivered enough of a push to land the Houston talent.

Washington stars in a football hotbed of "H-Town" and plays both a cerebral and aggressive game. Yet somehow he briefly slipped under the recruiting radar until the Buffaloes offered. Washington even tangled with five-star Texas Tech wide receiver commit Benny Easter and helped bottle him to 62 receiving yards despite taking the lopsided loss.

Now he's a three-star and one of the latest Texas talents choosing Coach Prime. Colorado fans should love his smarts and physical attributes.

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