Colorado's Recruiting Class Rankings in Deion Sanders Era

The Colorado Buffaloes have been ranked on the lower end of power conference teams when it comes to their recruiting classes in the "Coach Prime" era.

Nov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches the run of play during the 3rd 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

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders is entering his fourth season as coach in Boulder. There have been mixed results to say the least. This is where Colorado has been ranked when it comes to recruiting. 

Colorado’s Recruiting Classes Under Deion Sanders 

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes shocked the college football world when they hired Deion Sanders as their next head coach following the 2022 season. Sanders was previously the coach for the Jackson State Tigers, where he accumulated an overall record of 27-6. The Buffs were fresh off a 1-11 2022 and desperately need some energy for their program. That’s exactly what they got with Sanders. 

2023

Sanders’ first recruiting class with Colorado consisted of 22 high school recruits. This ranked No. 35 in the country according to Rivals. Their highest rated recruit was five-star cornerback Cormani McClain. 

Colorado’s roster was primary build through the transfer portal this season, with 50 incoming transfers. The two most notable were ones that followed Sanders from Jackson State: quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter. 

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter poses for a photo after winning the Heisman Trophy award during the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

This 2023 Colorado team got off to a strong start at 3-0, but lost eight of their last nine games to finish with an overall record of 4-8. Even with the disappointing finish, this was still a step in the right direction for the program. 

2024

2024 saw have one of the lowest ranked recruiting classes for a power conference team at No. 65. The Buffs only landed 13 high school recruits, with their top one being five-star offensive lineman Jordan Seaton. They added 46 players in the transfer portal. 

However, on the field this was the best team in the “Coach Prime” era. Colorado went 9-3 in the regular season and made the Alamo Bowl. Shedeur Sanders was named 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy. 

2025

Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) rushes with the ball during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado’s 2025 class was ranked No. 35 in the country with 14 total high school commits. Their highest rated recruit was five-star quarterback Julian Lewis. The Buffs also had 34 incoming transfers. 

On the field, it was the worst season under Sanders. Colorado went 3-9. This included a mark of 1-8 in Big 12 conference play. Some good news for Colorado is that they were able to get a look at their freshman quarterback. Lewis played in a handful of games and showed promise, all while retaining his redshirt eligibility. 

2026

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

Colorado’s 2026 is their lowest ranked class under Sanders, ranked No. 68 in the country. Colorado had 19 high school recruits and 43 incoming transfers. The highest ranked recruit in this class is four-star edge rusher Domata Peko Jr. 

2027

2027 is off to a better start for the Buffs compared to 2026. They have three commits so far with four-star quarterback Andre Adams, three-star cornerback Davon Dericho, and three-star defensive lineman Kenny Fairley.

This class is currently ranked No. 49 in the country per Rivals.

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