Colorado Buffaloes Trending For 4-Star Linebacker Recruit Rodney Colton Jr.

Have the Colorado Buffaloes found a future defensive centerpiece?

Consensus four-star linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. listed Colorado among his five recruiting finalists. Colton Jr., a former South Carolina Gamecocks commit, narrowed his choices down to the Buffaloes, Ole Miss Rebels, UCLA Bruins, Florida State Seminoles and Penn State Nittany Lions.

Colton is set to visit Boulder on June 20, the last on his itinerary of for the summer. He has already visited UCLA and Penn State, and he's in Tallahassee this weekend.

Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders in the first half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&a — Nov 9, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders in the first half during the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

The linebacker has a commitment date scheduled for Aug. 9 after collecting a bevy of offers since his decommitment from South Carolina last January. 247Sports' Tomy Loy predicted that Colton would commit to the Tennessee Volunteers last October, but it appears that will not come to fruition.

Colton preps at Newnan High School in Georgia, where he has become a top-20 linebacker in his class according to all major recruiting sites. 247Sports ranks him the highest at No. 15.

As of Saturday, the Nittany Lions lead the pack for Colton.

“I’m not gonna lie, I see myself at Penn State,” Colton told On3 after his visit. “I’m a country boy. People think I’m from Atlanta, but I’m a country boy and I like it up there."

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When Colton visits Boulder in two weeks, his "country" identity could be tapped into. Coach Deion Sanders and former wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter have long shared their sportsman habits, mainly fishing, and living in the shadow of the Flatirons is a dream for those with an outdoorsy spirit.

Another evergreen factor in recruiting Colton will be coaching. Colorado has over 150 years of NFL experience on its staff and has put a public emphasis on pro preparation. Linebackers coach Andre Hart is not a former NFL talent, but his role in recruiting the next generation of second-level Buffs defenders will be vital.

Colorado's linebacker room since the hiring of "Coach Prime" has been heavily reliant on its transfers. LaVonta Bentley came from the Clemson Tigers, and Nikhai Hill-Green arrived after stints with the Michigan Wolverines and Charlotte 49ers.

As a tandem, they helped the Buffaloes improve drastically against the run and opposing quarterbacks. Ultimately, they could be seen as a catalyst for Colorado's drastic improvement in record from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-4 in 2024.

Sep 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green (41) celebrates after a defensive stop during the second half against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

After Bentley and Hill-Green hit the road, Sanders brought in All-AAC UTSA Roadrunner Martavius French and Jacksonville State Gamecocks gamer Reginald Hughes to fill the gaps. The pair has exceptional shoes to fill, and the Buffs still lack developmental pieces at the position other than three-star freshman Mantrez Walker.

Therefore, a recruit of Colton's caliber will be crucial for Colorado to continue its defensive ascent. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston utilized his linebackers and safeties as the glue that kept his unit sturdy on the interior, most notably with his one-high safety shells that allowed for three-linebacker looks.

Colton will get his first taste of Boulder soon, and all hands should be on deck if the Buffs want to make linebacker a priority and strength of the "Coach Prime" era.