Jason Jones/BuffsBeat
Deion Sanders using "quality over quantity" approach for CU's 2024 recruiting class
Coach Prime goes out and does it once again, bringing in CU’s highest recruited lineman in five-star Jordan Seaton out of IMG academy in Florida. This should come as no surprise as he has proven he can bring in the best and brightest and in this case the biggest with Seaton. It’s a great early Christmas present for Buffs fans. Deion Sanders lives by the 40-40-20 rule. And for those wondering what that is, Prime goes after 40 percent graduate transfers, 40 percent undergraduate transfers, and 20 percent high school recruits.
Colorado currently has ten players committed to the 2024 class coming out of high school with Seaton being the highest rated. Coach Prime and his staff were honed in on Seaton during the entire process, even when he took CU out of his top four. The other players that they have recruited could also make an immediate impact in their freshman season. The Buffs have the second-lowest amount of commits within the Big 12, according to 247 sports.com. Houston has the fewest, but also has a new coach with Willie Fritz taking over on Sunday. Cincinnati and Texas Tech have the most recruits with 22 players coming to their respective programs. Colorado is bringing in Seaton as the only five-star, along with three four-stars, and six three-stars. Here is a quick look at some of those recruits who could start for CU next season.
The player that could have the biggest impact next to Seaton is four-star defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain, who wreaked havoc in the backfield his senior season at West Bloomfield High School in Michigan. As a senior, Davis-Swain had 19 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, he broke his arm in the final playoff game of the season and is on the mend. However, this is exactly what Coach Prime needs in a player that can get to the quarterback and create issues for opponents. At 6-foot-3, and 260 pounds, Davis-Swain already has the size and ability to play at the next level. He will likely be coached by Hall-of- Famer, Warren Sapp, who was one of the best players to get after the quarterback.
Kam Mikell is a four-star athlete out of Statesboro, Georgia that will be making his way to CU and play for Coach Prime. The Peach State native has shades of Travis Hunter, except he plays three-ways at quarterback, defensive back, and running back. Mikell turned down offers from his home state, including last year's national champion Georgia Bulldogs and SEC contenders Texas A&M to make his way to Boulder. Mikell ran 10.5 second in the 100-meter dash and will be a player that can run with any receiver he lines up with. It could be perfect having him as the slot corner for CU and bring even greater depth to the secondary. It would likely be the most dominant group not just in the Big 12, but the nation.
When it comes to the wide receivers at CU, they showed that they could ball out with Xavier Weaver, Jimmy Horn Jr., and of course Travis Hunter. Michael Harrison was the biggest surprise, hauling in five touchdowns last season, but he's moving on via the transfer portal. Next year, four-star Aaron Butler comes to CU and he'll be on campus as soon as this month. He announced his intentions to graduate early from Calabasas High School in California. Butler is a physical receiver that also has great speed to help stretch the field for CU. This is a player that could come in and have an impact early in the passing game. Pat Shurmur loves calling a lot of bubble screens and Butler could be used in multiple ways in these situations.
When it comes to transfers, look no further than Issiah Walker, the offensive tackle out of Butler Community College. Walker brings size and experience to CU at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds and was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. CU’s offensive line was by far the worst position group on the team, and for that matter, the nation, so this is another solid get for Coach Prime. Experience will be the biggest attribute that Walker brings and playing at one of the top JUCO’s in the nation will have him ready to make the jump to the Power Five level
Coach Prime has other commits that will look to have an impact on defensive linemen. Omar White and Eric Brantley are both out of Valdosta, Georgia and will be talented teammates. Amontrae Bradford, who is Kam Mikell high school teammate, looks to make a splash as an edge rusher for the Buffs. Zycarl Lewis is a wide receiver out of Venice, Florida, and Micah Welch a running back out of Milledgeville, Georgia, rounding out the ten players committed to CU next season.
Coach Prime has his standard with the 40-40-20 rule down. And while many people clamor for quantity and want to throw everything at the window to see what sticks to appease the fan base, that's not the case for Sanders. If a recruit doesn’t live up to the hype or gets injured, it's always the next man up, but not for a line of fourth-and-fifth string guys.
For Coach Prime, it is about quality and knowing that they have the best player that fits within the team while making a difference on the field. He puts belief and confidence into these players and sees who will live up to the hype and will put in the work to become the player that they are expected to be