Colorado Climbs Recruiting Class Rankings With Four-Star Commitment

The Colorado Buffaloes rose in the Big 12 and national recruiting rankings after landing a commitment from Dewey Young.

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

The Colorado Buffaloes landed a major commitment in the 2027 class on Monday from four-star offensive lineman Dewey Young, according to Rivals. The Buffs beat out the likes of the South Carolina Gamecocks, Purdue Boilermakers, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Vanderbilt Commodores for his commitment, per 247Sports.

By adding another blue-chip recruit to their 2027 class, the Buffaloes climbed both the national and Big 12 recruiting rankings. Here’s a look at how he affected the Buffs’ recruiting rankings and who they will be competing against moving forward in the 2027 class.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ Recruiting Rankings Rise

Dec 8, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders cheers during the game Colorado State Rams the second half at the CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Young was the Buffaloes’ third blue-chip recruit and 20th total recruit in their 2027 class per 247Sports. In addition, kicker Cadel Ayala recently announced his commitment to the Buffs on X. Although he isn’t listed by 247Sports or Rivals, he is a blue-chip kicking recruit according to recruiting consultant Chris Sailer.

The Buffaloes’ recruiting haul has been receiving national attention, as they are near the top of the Big 12 and are pushing for a top-30 class nationally. 247Sports lists the Buffs as having the No. 3 class in the conference and the No. 31 overall class in the 2027 recruiting cycle.

Prior to Young’s commitment, the site gave the Buffs the No. 33 overall class. For coach Deion Sanders’s team to make that large of a leap at this stage in the recruiting cycle, it shows how much heavy lifting Young is doing to verify the prestige of the class.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ Competitors Atop the Big 12 and Nationally

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; A Kansas State Wildcats fan plays with Colorado Buffaloes mascot Chip during a break in the action at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffaloes are among elite company both at the top of their conference and in the national rankings, with two primary competitors in each.

Among the Big 12, Colorado trails the Kansas State Wildcats, who have landed six more commitments than the Buffs, according to 247Sports. The Buffaloes would surely love to outdo the Wildcats in this season’s recruiting cycle, as they have struggled against them on the field since rejoining the Big 12. But the West Virginia Mountaineers are hot on their tail, as they sit just 2.57 recruiting points behind the Buffs in the site’s rankings.

In the national rankings, the Buffs are competing with a pair of SEC programs. The Arkansas Razorbacks sit a spot above the Buffaloes. They’ve landed three more commits than CU, four of whom are blue-chip recruits per 247Sports. A spot behind the Buffs, the Vanderbilt Commodores sit at No. 32. They have been held back by a lack of volume, only landing 16 commits thus far, according to the site.

Gunnar White’s Recruiting Success With 2027 Class

Recruit Dewey Young of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was in attendance at the Ohio State football game against Minnesota at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 4, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The needle mover for Colorado has been an unlikely face, as offensive line coach Gunnar White has emerged as one of the best recruiters in the conference. Young was the fourth commitment of the Buffs’ 2027 class, whom White led the recruiting efforts for, per 247Sports. 

White has taken matters into his own hands in this class, building his offensive line unit from the ground up. Colorado is losing its best offensive line of the Coach Prime Era in 2026. All of its starters from the 2025 season, except for tackle Larry Johnson III and Yahya Attia (the latter only started four games), either entered the transfer portal or left for the NFL during the offseason.

White’s efforts have not only boosted the Buffaloes’ recruiting class but have pieced together one of the best individual recruiter efforts in the Big 12. He's ranked by 247Sports as the No. 2 recruiter in the conference, only trailing TCU Horned Frogs defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.

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