What 4-Star Recruit Preston Ashley Said About Colorado Buffaloes, Florida State, Florida

Four-star cornerback Preston Ashley announced the top three schools in his recruitment on Friday, and the Colorado Buffaloes, Florida Gators, and Florida State Seminoles are the final programs with a chance to land Ashley.

Ashley spoke with On3's Chad Simmons about each of his three finalists, and the four-star recruit revealed his plans to commit during the summer.

“Right now, it is a really tight race. It is 1A, 1B and 1C between those schools. It will come down to where I see myself fitting at best. It will be tough because all three are great schools," Ashley told On3.

Ashley was offered by Colorado and coach Deion Sanders in March, and now "Coach Prime" and the Buffaloes are in prime position to land the elite recruit. Florida and Florida State have distance on their side when recruiting Ashley from Brandon, Mississippi, but Sanders and his coaching staff have proven their ability to land recruits from across the country in previous cycles.

Nov 11, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Now, "Coach Prime" and Colorado defensive backs coach Kevin Mathis are looking to add Ashley to the Buffaloes' secondary. Ashley is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 18 safety recruit in the class of 2026, the No. 9 player from the state of Mississippi, and the No. 213 overall prospect regardless of position.

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“It would be a blessing to be coached by coach Prime, but they look past football. They care about the players. They want it to be like family," Ashley told On3 about Colorado. "Travis Hunter had his wedding and they were there. It goes beyond football with Colorado, so I can’t wait to get out there. I really like coach Mathis too. He was a great cornerback in his time and he is a great coach."

Like many of the coaches on Colorado's staff, Mathis brings NFL experience to the Buffaloes program. Now the defensive backs coach for Colorado, Mathis is a former NFL cornerback who was teammates with "Coach Prime" on the Dallas Cowboys. Mathis also played for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons during his nine-year career in the NFL.

Nov 2, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell looks on from the sideline after the North Carolina Tarheels score a final touchdown in the fourth quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. | Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Will the amount of NFL experience at Colorado be enough to pull Ashley away from Florida and Florida State? The Seminoles might have the upper hand with Ashley' being a legacy recruit for Florida State:

"My uncle played there and I have been there a lot, so Florida State has a special place in my heart. They offered me early too, so I have a tight relationship with coach Norvell and coach Surtain. They have been recruiting me for over two years. They are great guys and it is always great when I am down there," Ashley told On3.

Ashley is schedule to visit Colorado on June 20, and he also has plans to see Florida State in August.