Colorado's Deion Sanders Enters Race For No. 1 Defensive Line Recruit

The Colorado Buffaloes made a major recruiting move, offering the top defensive lineman in the class of 2028.

Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

While the Colorado Buffaloes have been focused on their 2027 class of late, they made a major move in the 2028 class on Wednesday.

Coach Deion Sanders and his staff extended a scholarship offer to a five-star recruit, and the No. 1 defensive lineman in the class of 2028, per 247Sports.

How Tyzon Swann became a blue-chip recruit

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Legendary football and baseball player and father of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Tyzon Swann plays high school football for the Lackey High School Chargers in Indian Head, Maryland. Through his first two seasons, he’s jumped off the screen on film as far ahead of his class in size and on-field production.

During his sophomore campaign, the 6-4, 245-pound defensive lineman recorded a mammoth 135 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and eight forced fumbles. He towered over almost every offensive lineman he faced and had several inches of height on all of his teammates.

Despite his size, though, his speed is still one of his most valuable traits. According to MileSplit, Swann ran a 100-meter dash personal record of 15.38 seconds in track, which is equivalent to a 6.41-second 40-yard dash according to its running conversion calculator. It pays off on the field, as he has incredible pursuit and can track down quarterbacks on the run.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ competition for Tyzon Swann

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

According to Rivals, Swann has taken a total of eight unofficial visits from February 2025 to May 2026. Colorado’s primary competition appears to be against the two programs Swann has visited more than any other.

First is the Penn State Nittany Lions, who Rivals lists as the most likely school to land Swann with a 20 percent confidence rating. However, the Nittany Lions coaching changes, like firing coach James Franklin, may throw a wrench into their recruitment of the blue-chip defender.

The other team Swann has shown a high level of interest in is the Auburn Tigers. Rivals gives the Tigers a 17.6 percent confidence rating to land the tackle.

How the Colorado Buffaloes can win over Tyzon Swann

Nov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders paces the field during the 2nd quarter between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

With the interest that Swann has shown in those two programs, Colorado has a lot of work to do to win him over. The best strategies for the Buffs are likely to pursue an official visit as soon as possible, and advertise their knack for players being involved at multiple positions. 

First, if Colorado can get an official visit with Swann on the calendar before any of his top programs, it would get to make the first impression. Colorado’s recent recruiting weekend success is evidence of Coach Prime’s high success rate when given that type of opportunity. 

But it can use its track record of getting players involved at multiple positions to stand out from the crowd. Swann plays defensive tackle, edge rusher and tight end in high school, all of which at a very high level.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) yells as his is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Former Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter is obviously the first to mind from the Coach Prime Era. However, there have been more underrated examples that can apply to Swann’s situation. 

A few of those examples are offensive lineman Yahya Attia and defensive back Boo Carter. In 2025, the Buffaloes rotated Attia all across the offense, as he played snaps at right guard, left guard, center and tight end. As for Carter, Sanders has confirmed he’ll play cornerback, safety, slot corner, kick returner and punt returner in 2026. The Buffs can form a relationship between Swann and these players, and sell him on Boulder by allowing him to showcase his skills to their maximum potential.

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