Elite Running Back Recruit KJ Edwards Visits Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes are hosting KJ Edwards, a top-three running back in 2026, on an official visit this weekend. Deion Sanders has expressed interest in improving the Buffs' putrid running game from years past, and Edwards would be a centerpiece of doing so.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

One of the nation's best high school running backs has his eye on the Colorado Buffaloes.

KJ Edwards, a consensus four-star prospect in the class of 2026 listed No. 2 among running backs by 247Sports and Rivals and No. 3 by On3, had an official visit with Colorado on Friday. The Buffaloes offered Edwards on April 24.

This visit was Edwards's first in an official capacity, though he has unofficially visited with the Texas Longhorns and SMU Mustangs. The Carthage, Texas, native is set for formal stops with the Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies and Baylor Bears throughout June.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the spring game at Folsom Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Elite RB KJ Edwards on his visit to Colorado🦬

Edwards is the No. 3 RB in the 2026 On300.https://t.co/wZJvEAOULY pic.twitter.com/SgLWijUJLO

— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 4, 2025

In a state loaded with talented running backs, Edwards is the cream of the crop. He surpassed 4,000 rushing yards in his career with Carthage High School during a 2024 4A Division II state championship Offensive MVP performance. Across his first three varsity seasons, Edwards averaged a staggering 11.25 yards per carry and rushed for 54 touchdowns.

Edwards saw increased involvement in the pass game as a junior, with 30 catches for 383 yards and three scores. He holds offers from a bevy of programs with star-studded running back histories, including the Alabama Crimson Tide, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs.

While Colorado has a history tattered with top-tier tailbacks such as Rashaan Salaam and Eric Bienemy, the coach Deion Sanders era has essentially seen the polar opposite. The Buffaloes have finished dead last in Division I in each of the last two seasons in rushing yards per game by sizable margins.

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Colorado's current roster of backs is mostly made up of talent from last season. With Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk now in charge of the position, the Buffs will trust Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch and recent Incarnate Word Cardinals transfer DeKaylon Taylor to lift the 2025 Buffs from their rock-bottom status.

The Buffs also lost two of their most promising running backs to the transfer portal, including their leading rusher from 2024, Isaiah Augustave. Brandon Hood, who showed flashes and got considerable reps during spring ball, hit the portal last month.

"Coach Prime" has long expressed interest in mixing in the run more for Colorado's future, especially following the departure of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and four NFL-bound wide receivers, including Biletnikoff Award winner Travis Hunter.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A player of Edwards's caliber would be the centerpiece of a brighter future in the backfield, so he may wait and see how successfully offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur incorporates the run before deciding to traverse out of state.

Potential starting quarterback Kaidon Salter has an extensive history of being a dominant force with his legs, and the Buffaloes had a succinct focus on interior offensive linemen in the transfer portal, so there's a high likelihood the run game surpasses its low bar.

Several recruiting sites currently predict Edwards to remain in-state for his college career, with 247Sports prognosticating Texas and Rivals predicting Texas A&M. But if Edwards envisions his future somewhere out of state, where he could instantly be the top dog, Coach Prime won't be hard to find.

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