Four Things To Know About Colorado's New Quarterback Commit

The Colorado Buffaloes received the commitment from class of 2026 recruit, quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne. Sweetwyne was initially slated to go to the NC State Wolfpack before going to Colorado. Here's are some things to know about Sweetwyne.

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. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes landed the commitment of three-star class of 2026 recruit, quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne. Sweetwyne committed to the NC State back in December of 2025. He ended up having a change of heart and decommitted three weeks later. 

Over the weekend, Sweetwyne visited Colorado and committed shortly after. His high school coach at Skyridge Justin Hemm spoke to Rivals saying that Colorado is a good fit for Sweetwyne. 

“Scheme-wise, it’s a great fit,” Hemm said. 

Things to Know About Kaneal Sweetwyne

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the second quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

• Kaneal Sweetwyne is a 6-3, 195 pound quarterback out of Lehi, Utah. Sweetwyne is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 75 quarterback in the class of 2026. 

• Sweetwyne played his four year high school football career for Skyridge from 2022-2025. In this time, he threw for 6,149 yards, 53 touchdowns, and 32 interceptions. On the ground, he rushed 1,956 yards and 26 touchdowns. Sweetwyne led Skyridge High School to a 9-3 record in his senior year in 2025.

• There have been numerous schools in the running to sign Sweetwyne along with Colorado and NC State. Among these are the Utah Utes, Iowa State Cyclones, and Utah State Aggies. 

• After committing to NC State, signs were pointing to Sweetwyne being a member of the Wolfpack, but after signing he requested a release. What lead to this decision? Per Rivals, Sweetwyne decided to make the move form NC State to Colorado in part due to proximity and a coaching change. 

MORE: New Colorado Safety Naeten Mitchell Reveals How Deion Sanders Earned His Transfer Commitment

MORE: Deion Sanders Shares Update On Quarterback Julian Lewis' Offseason Development

MORE: Deion Sanders Lands Transfer Portal Linebacker With a Name Built for Prime Time 

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts during the second quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

“According to a source, Sweetwyne and his family decided following their signing with NC State that he wanted to be closer to home and somewhere out west,” Adam Gorney of Rivals reported. 

Colorado is a whole lot closer to his home state of Utah than North Carolina.

Colorado Buffaloes 2026 Recruiting Class

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines in the first quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes currently have the No. 54 ranked recruiting class in 2026 according to 247Sports recruiting rankings. This class is led by a pair of four stars; linebacker Carson Crawford and safety Preston Ashly.

Since Deion Sanders over in Boulder as coach in 2023, the Buffs have primarily used the transfer portal to build their team. This was especially true in "Coach Prime's" first season. Deion brought in a pair of stars with him from Jackson State in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.

In 2024, Shedeur was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year while Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. Both were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

After the departure of these two, Colorado went 3-9 in 2025. For Deion Sanders to turn this Colorado Buffaloes team around in 2026, he will need to hit on these 2026 recruits and especially the players in the transfer portal.