Colorado Climbs Big 12 Recruiting Rankings With New Momentum

The Colorado Buffaloes shot up in the Big 12’s recruiting rankings following the commitment of blue-chip safety Gabe Jenkins.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders looks on against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Wednesday, Rivals announced that blue-chip safety Gabe Jenkins is committing to the Colorado Buffaloes.

He is their second four-star recruit in the class, according to Rivals. With his addition, the Buffaloes took a major leap in the Big 12’s recruiting rankings.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ Big 12 recruiting rankings leap

Nov 9, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders and Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire after the game at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

According to 247Sports, Jenkins’s commitment improved the Buffs’ average recruit rating to 87.8. This moves them into second place in the Big 12 among teams with more than one commitment. Colorado now only trails the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who received a commitment from five-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster, who is also the No. 1 recruit in the class per 247Sports. The site lists them as having a 91.89 average recruit rating, the third-highest in the FBS.

Prior to Jenkins’s commitment, Colorado’s recruit ranking average sat at 87.25, which would’ve placed them in third behind the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Colorado does still need to improve on the volume of recruits it’s bringing in, though. The Buffaloes have landed commitments from only five recruits, according to 247Sports. But the top three classes by points according to 247Sports, being Texas Tech, West Virginia and Kansas State, have landed commitments from nine, 11 and 10 recruits, respectively.

Colorado risks going all-in on starpower without securing its depth, a formula that has cost the Buffaloes in the past. The 2023 season is the most notable example, as stars the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and Xavier Weaver could only do so much once injuries and inconsistencies arose at other positions.

Colorado Buffaloes class of 2027 overview

Andre Adams stands for a portrait after announcing his commitment to the University of Colorado during a ceremony at Antioch High School on Tuesday, April, 14, 2026 in Antioch. | NICOLE HESTER / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, all five recruits that coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs have brought in are quality players.

They’ve brought in two four-star recruits. First, Jenkins, who is the top-ranked safety in the class of 2027 according to 247Sports, and quarterback Andre Adams.

The Buffaloes’ 2027 class took a leap from 76th to 58th in the country upon Adams’s commitment, according to 247Sports. They have hovered around that number ever since, currently sitting at 53rd after Jenkins’s commitment.

Colorado has also brought in three three-star recruits, most recently landing a commitment from edge rusher Ba’Roc Willis on Tuesday, per Rivals. Willis was a tackling machine and a double-digit sack player at Moody High School in Moody, Alabama, during the last two seasons.

The Buffs also added defensive lineman Kenny Fairley, who raved about Colorado in an interview with Dukethescoop, and already benches 405 pounds as a junior in high school.

Then, there’s the Buffs’ earliest commitment, which came from cornerback Devon Dericho. He was a turnover machine during his junior season at Killian High School in Miami, Florida, hauling in three interceptions and forcing a pair of fumbles.

The future of the Colorado Buffaloes

Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders coaches before the game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

As it stands, the Buffaloes are in a good place with their 2027 recruiting class. After a major recruiting weekend in Boulder on May 15, there may be a burst of upcoming commitments to Coach Prime and the Buffs in the coming weeks. The recent additions of Jenkins and Willis on defense give the Buffaloes a strong base to build the rest of the defensive class upon.

While they’re still searching for a star playmaker or two on offense, their standing in the Big 12 recruiting rankings isn’t likely to be done climbing.

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