Tag: CU Buffs 2024 recruiting

Colorado offers one-time Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Jonah Tauanu’u

Colorado is looking to make a late addition to its offensive line

After committing to the Oregon Ducks over the Colorado Buffaloes and others in 2018, junior college offensive tackle Jonah Tauanu’u has another chance to come to Boulder.

Taunau’u, a California native, was a four-star recruit in the class of 2019 who was ranked as the top OT prospect in the state (247Sports composite). The 6-foot-5, 290-pound tackle committed to Oregon out of high school, becoming one of the highest-ranked OT recruits in program history. After redshirting his freshman season in 2019, he suffered an injury before medically retiring in 2021.

Hoping to return to Division I football, Tauanu’u spent this past year at El Camino College in his home state of California. He was a crucial part of the Warriors’ run game, helping them average 216.6 rushing yards per game while once again becoming one of the state’s hottest OT commodities.

Tauanu’u’s play hasn’t garnered the same attention as it did while he was at Narbonne High School, but Colorado will still have to fight to earn his commitment. Earlier this year, he picked up offers from San Jose State, San Diego State, Hawaii and others. Tauanu’u also visited Middle Tennessee in early January, per 247Sports.

Tauanu’u hasn’t set an official commitment date, but expect him to make a decision soon with the 2024 college football season looming.

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Class of 2024 linebacker Trent Hood commits to Colorado, joins cousins

Another member of the Hood family is coming to Colorado

What’s better than two? Three, according to the Colorado football program.

Head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes added a third member of the Hood family on Friday, picking up class of 2024 linebacker Trent Hood. He is the cousin of brothers Colton and Brandon Hood, who committed to CU at the end of April.

Trent, the same age as Brandon, played his senior season at Central High School in Phenix City, Alabama. At 5-foot-11 and 225 pounds, he was named Alabama’s 2024 7A Defensive Player of the Year. He racked up 75 total tackles, two sacks and an interception in 11 games per his MaxPreps page. He also played some snaps at running back.

Colton and Brandon’s father, Ben, was asked about Trent just a few days before his nephew’s commitment.Ā Here’s what Ben told YouTuber BiggDoggChico when asked if Colorado was in Trent’s future:

“We’re working on it,” Ben said. “With Trent, my nephew, he bloomed late. But, when I tell you from an IQ standpoint, from what you want to see in a linebacker, or old school, like Sam Mills type of guy, he’s that type of guy… He plays a lot faster and smarter than most kids, so hopefully it works out.”

Trent was originally committed to Auburn, Colton’s former school, as a preferred walk-on before changing his decision.

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Offensive lineman Yahya Attia, also known as ‘The Bulldozer,’ signs with Colorado

“The Bulldozer” is coming to Boulder

Yahya Attia, an offensive lineman from the NFL Academy in England, became another late addition to Colorado football’s 2024 signing class on Wednesday.

Nicknamed “The Bulldozer,” Attia is listed at 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, making him the heaviest player on the Buffs’ spring roster (Houston transfer OL Tyler Johnson is next at 325 pounds).

The Egyptian-born lineman is joining head coach Deion Sanders’ CU program as a scholarship player, according to BuffStampede’s Adam Munsterteiger. Colorado now owns 10 class of 2024 signees, including fellow offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, and 25 incoming transfer portal players.

New Colorado OL coach Phil Loadholt extended Attia an offer in March. Football Championship Subdivision programs Campbell and Long Island have also offered Atia.

It’s possible that new full-time CU offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur played a role in Attia’s recruitment. As pointed out by BuffZone’s Brian Howell, NFL Academy head coach Steve Hagen worked under Shurmur with the Cleveland Browns in the early 2010s.

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Colorado football announces signing of Florida cornerback Ben Bouzi

Ben Bouzi has joined Colorado’s 2024 signing class

On Thursday, the Colorado Buffaloes announced Ebenezer (Ben) Bouzi as a late addition to their 2024 signing class.

A three-star cornerback (per 247Sports) out of Naples, Florida, Bouzi had drawn interest from Florida State, Louisville, Maryland, Pitt, Temple and others earlier in his recruitment. The Naples High School senior is listed at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds.

According to BuffStampede’s Adam Munsterteiger, Bouzi signed a financial aid agreement with CU on Wednesday.

“Honestly it has been a blessing,” Bouzi told BuffStampede.com. “I can’t truly express how I am feeling right now. I am leaving Tropical Smoothie, after getting done with a workout, and I got tagged in a post with Colorado football and the love is just going crazy. It is nothing like I have experienced, or expected.”

Bouzi becomes Colorado’s eighth 2024 signee and the first true cornerback, although four-star athlete Kam Mikell could find his way into the Buffs’ secondary at some point.

Colorado football’s overall recruiting class (high school signees and transfers combined) ranks No. 22 nationally and No. 1 in the Big 12 Conference, per 247Sports.

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Georgia athlete Carson Westbrook joins CU Buffs as preferred walk-on

Speedy athlete Carson Westbrook is coming to Boulder

Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders added even more speed to his 2024 roster on Tuesday as Georgia athlete Carson Westbrook announced his commitment to the Buffs.

Westbrook will come to Boulder as a preferred walk-on, but the Schley County High School senior owns plenty of upside. As a free safety last fall, Westbrook led his team with seven passes defended and finished with six interceptions. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound athlete also had 42 catches for 735 receiving yards and five touchdowns at wide receiver.

According to his X profile, Westbrook was in Fort Collins last April for Colorado State’s spring game and has visited the Colorado School of Mines in Golden multiple times. Georgia, Georgetown, Georgia Southern, Columbia, Brown, Fordham and UMass have also hosted Westbrook.

Colorado extended a preferred walk-on offer to Westbrook on Feb. 13.

Westbrook put his speed on full display late last November in the Georgia state playoffs:

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Big 12 football: Post-national signing day overall recruiting class rankings

See where Colorado’s overall recruiting class ranks among Big 12 teams post-national signing day

For most of the country’s top college football programs, the 2024 national signing day was about as exciting as any other offseason Wednesday. A few notable class of 2024 recruits made things official with their respective schools, but the Big 12 Conference didn’t see much action.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders did, however, gain some needed depth at linebacker by picking up three-star Florida prospect Kyeran Garcia.

As of Thursday morning, Coach Prime’s overall 2024 signing class ā€” transfers and high school prospects combined ā€” ranks No. 22 nationally, according to 247Sports. The Buffs landed seven class of 2024 high school prospects, including five-star offensive tackle Jordan Seaton.

Here’s where CU’s overall 2024 signing class ranks in the Big 12, per 247Sports:

Three-star linebacker Kyeran Garcia joins Colorado’s 2024 recruiting class

Colorado added a three-star linebacker to its 2024 recruiting class

The 2024 national signing day will not go by quietly for Colorado.

At about 10 a.m. MT on Wednesday, class of 2024 Florida linebacker Kyeran Garcia announced his commitment to the Buffs on X. The 6-foot, 215-pound Fort Myers LB is considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports.

Once he completes his national letter of intent, Garcia will become the seventh member of Colorado’s 2024 high school signing class.

Garcia put up some monster numbers during his senior season at Dunbar High School, according to his MaxPreps profile. He finished the year with a team-high 140 total tackles (90 solo), 22 TFLs, 10 sacks and two fumble recoveries.

247Sports ranks Garcia as the No. 180 linebacker in his class and the No. 237 prospect from Florida.

Garcia received an offer from Colorado in December and has also been recruited by Michigan State, Deleware, Air Force, Navy, Dartmouth and others.

In late January, CU Buffs head coach Deion Sanders mentioned that he’s still looking for more linebackers, so Garcia’s commitment proves significant.

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Florida State decommit CJ Heard reportedly deciding between Colorado and UCLA

An uncommitted class of 2024 safety is reportedly considering Colorado

Colorado may not be finished adding to its 2024 recruiting class.

According to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports, uncommitted three-star safety CJ Heard is deciding between Colorado and UCLA. The former Florida State commit will visit both schools in the coming days before announcing his decision on Feb. 8, Wiltfong reported Tuesday.

Heard decommitted from the Seminoles on Nov. 19, about one month before the early signing period. He’s now the highest-ranked uncommitted safety in the class of 2024, per 247Sports.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 193 pounds, Heard picked up an offer from Colorado last May.

Heard recorded 72 total tackles, eight TFLs, one interception and seven passes defended in 13 games during his senior season at Woodward Academy in Georgia. The 2024 prospect also rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

With only six signees, including three from Heard’s home state of Georgia, Colorado’s 2024 high school recruiting class is the smallest in the Big 12.

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Gage Goldberg, son of WWE legend, commits to Colorado

WWE legend Bill Goldberg’s son committed to Colorado

If you’ve performed under the bright lights of WWE’s SummerSlam, jumping to college football should be a breeze, right? We’ll soon find out as Colorado received a Sunday commitment from Gage Goldberg, a class of 2024 linebacker and the son of WWE legend Bill Goldberg.

Along with starring for both the WCW and the WWE, the elder Goldberg played college ball at Georgia and was later teammates with CU head coach Deion Sanders on the Atlanta Falcons.

The younger Goldberg recently wrapped his senior season at Boerne Champion High School in Texas and is listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds. He also played baseball at Boerne Champion.

With Florida Atlantic transfer Jaylen Wester also now coming to Boulder, Colorado has added some solid depth at linebacker. Goldberg, who’s reportedly walking on with the Buffs, will likely spend next season learning from Colorado’s veterans.

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Post-early signing period overall recruiting class rankings: Colorado leads the Big 12

See where Colorado’s overall recruiting class ranks nationally following the early signing period

The dust has now settled following a busy early signing period.

For Colorado, head coach Deion Sanders went transfer-heavy once again with the majority of his signees coming from the portal. The Buffs did, however, make things official with top-ranked class of 2024 offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who inked his national letter of intent on Friday.

Other intriguing players who signed with the Big 12-bound Buffs include four-star wide receiver Drelon Miller, four-star athlete Kamron Mikell, Vanderbilt transfer WR Will Sheppard and former Houston OL Tyler Johnson.

See where Colorado’s overall 2024 recruiting class (transfers and high school prospects included) ranks among the top 25 in the country, according to 247Sports: