Al Ashford loves the relationship he's built with CU Buffs coaching staff
Al Ashford picked up his first Pac-12 offer from the Colorado Buffaloes back in May. Since then, he’s become a hot commodity. Not only in the Pac-12 but he also has Big 12 schools clamoring for him and some SEC fish have been circling recently.
The cornerback is now up to 14 offers and seven of them are from Power 5 programs.
“I recently picked up off from Kansas State. So that's been a blessing,” Ashford said. “But I continue to have the same mindset, just praying on the process and developing my relationship with the coaching staffs as well as doing my due diligence and studying the schools that would give me the best position academically to succeed as well as a football player.”
Ashford’s combination of length and athleticism is what makes him such a valued prospect in the eyes of college coaches. The 6-foot-1, 170-pounder says he’s spent a lot of the last few months on the phone.
“All the schools that have offered me and are recruiting me very heavily,” Ashford said. “You can talk to my mom, I’ve been on the phone a lot. But Coach Meat (cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin) from CU, he’s been a big part of my recruiting process with them. And as well as (head) Coach (Karl) Dorrell, I talk to them on a weekly basis. But also Coach Blue (Adams) from Oregon State and Coach (Greg) Burns from Arizona. Pretty much all of the schools that have offered, I’ve developed a relationship with the coach.”
Ashford said the bond he’s built with Martin is what is standing out right now.
“Definitely Coach Meat and I have built a strong bond,” Ashford said. “Especially because he was the first Pac-12 coach to offer me. And he’s a great guy and definitely knows his stuff about football. So it’s been great. Also Coach Blue Adams from Oregon State, been talking to him a lot.”
Ashford is a high school teammate with CU commit Chase Penry as well as Arden Walker, a CU target.
“It would definitely be something we’re interested in, Chase and I have talked a couple of teams about us playing together,” Ashford said about playing at the next level together. “They already have a big amount of Creek guys at CU.”
Ashford is still hearing from lots of schools that have yet to offer including TCU, Missouri, Oregon and Cal. Depending on whether some of those schools offer will change his timeline of a decision but it could be in the near future.