Tag: CU Buffs recruiting

Colorado receives first 2023 QB commit

Ryan Staub is a CU Buff

In a matter of weeks, the Buffaloes have built a strong base at quarterback while looking ahead to the future. On Monday, they received their first 2023 QB commit in Ryan Staub, a three-star prospect hailing from Santa Clarita, California.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Staub was offered by CU on Jan. 26 and verbally committed just five days later. He had also received an offer from Arizona. During his junior season at West Ranch High School, Staub threw 2,414 yards and 21 touchdowns while being named the Foothill League Offensive Player of the Year.

Staub now joins DE Kam’ron Bizor within the Buffs’ 2023 class.

The young QB’s commitment was another highlight of what has been a busy past few days on the recruiting trail. This week alone, Colorado has also received commitments from RB Ramon Jefferson (Sam Houston State transfer), OL Alex Harkey (JUCO transfer), DB Jeremy Mack (JUCO transfer) and 2022 RB Anthony Hankerson.

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Colorado’s O-line gets boost with three-star commit Van Wells

The Buffs added a 2022 big man

This mid-January weekend was a good one for Colorado football recruiting.

On Friday, Karl Dorrell and his staff ventured throughout the Centennial State to visit recruits. That same day, the Buffs added a transfer defensive end and signed a 2022 cornerback.

The recruiting roll continued on Sunday when three-star class of 2022 offensive lineman Van Wells announced his CU commitment. Colorado offered Wells back in mid-December, and the 6-foot-2, 290-pound big man now marks the first commit for new offensive line coach Kyle DeVan.

A Houston, Texas native, Wells is ranked as the No. 62 interior offensive lineman in the nation according to 247Sports. He had also received offers from Houston, Maryland, Air Force, Louisiana and several other programs.

According to Justin Guerriero of Rivals.com, the Buffs’ 2022 class is shaping up nicely.

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Buffs take step in revitalizing secondary with signing of 2022 three-star CB Jason Oliver

Jason Oliver is now a CU Buff

If you’re a young defensive back looking for playing time, Colorado’s looking pretty good right now. Class of 2022 cornerback Jason Oliver would probably agree, as the three-star recruit officially signed with the Buffs on Friday.

Oliver, who just completed his senior season with Liberty High School in Bakersfield, California, is the No. 104 CB in the nation per 247Sports. He had also received offers from Utah, California, Oregon State, Boise State and Fresno State, among others.

The 6-foot, 170-pound corner is also the son of former USC defensive back Jason Oliver Sr., who had 11 interceptions for the Trojans in the early 1990s.

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Colorado now has four cornerbacks in its 2022 class with Oliver joining Joshua Wiggins, Keyshon Mills and Simeon Harris.

With both Mekhi Blackmon and Christian Gonzalez now gone, there should be some competition for the starting spots next season. Among the returning true freshmen, Nikko Reed looked good late in 2021, but the Buffs are also (hopefully) bringing back juniors Jaylen Striker and Nigel Bethel.

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Phillip Lindsay offers encouragement to Colorado’s 2022 recruiting class

Colorado Buffaloes legend Phillip Lindsay shared an inspiring message with the Buffs’ 2022 recruiting class.

As National Signing Day came and went, the Colorado Buffaloes added 19 names to their 2022 recruiting class. All 19 signees were ranked as three-star recruits, putting Colorado’s 2022 class at 6th in the Pac-12 and 48th in the country per 247Sports.

Some noteworthy players on the list include two in-state recruits from Colorado (Travis Gray and Grant Page) and American Samoa native Oakie Salave’a, son of former Colorado defensive tackle Okland Salave’a who played at CU from 1988-89.

Colorado fans, coaches and players alike took to social media to share their reactions to the new class of signees. Buffs legend and current NFL running back Phillip Lindsay also weighed into the conversation as he had quite the inspiring message for Colorado’s new recruits.

If any of Colorado’s new signees can help the Buffs find some of the same success that Lindsay’s Buffs saw, which included an appearance in the 2016 Pac-12 Championship Game, it would certainly be a big improvement over the last few seasons that fans have endured.

Breaking down the Buffs’ 2022 class

Here’s how the Buffaloes’ class of 2022 shakes up

A spry group of 19 signed their letters of intent on Wednesday to form the Colorado Buffaloes’ class of 2022. The group, which is currently ranked 6th in the Pac-12 by 247Sports, is Karl Dorrell’s second of his two-year tenure in Boulder.

All 19 signees were ranked as three-star recruits, but that wasn’t exactly an abnormality in this year’s Pac-12 recruiting class.

Dorrell said his work likely isn’t done, however, as he plans on beefing up a few position groups. Colorado has already sent offers to a few other recruits in recent days.

RELATED: CU Buffs Early Signing Day Tracker

Here’s how the group currently breaks down:

By Position

OL – 2 (Carter Edwards, Travis Gray)

QB – 1 (Josh McCown)

RB – 1 (Victor Venn)

TE – 1 (Zach Courtney)

WR – 3 (Grant Page, Chase Sowell, Jordyn Tyson)

DE – 0

DT – 1 (Aaron Austin)

LB – 3 (Kaden Ludwick, Aubrey Smith, Eoghan Kerry)

DB – 5 (Dylan Dixson, Simeon Harris, Keyshon Mills, Xavier Smith, Joshua Wiggins)

PK/P – 1 (Ashton Logan)

ATH – 1 (Oakie Salave’a)

BY state

Texas – 8 (Austin, Courtney, Dixson, McCown, Mills, Sowell, Tyson, Wiggins; most since 2002)

California – 3 (Harris, Logan, Kerry)

Colorado – 2 (Gray, Page)

Georgia – 3 (Venn, A. Smith, X. Smith)

Mississippi, Oregon, American Samoa – 1 (Salave’a)

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Colorado receives commitment from Texas WR Chase Sowell

Chase Sowell announced his commitment to Colorado on Tuesday

As National Signing Day looms, the Colorado Buffaloes bolstered their 2022 class on Tuesday with a wide receiver from Humble, Texas.

Chase Sowell, not to be confused with our Chase Howell, is a three-star recruit on Rivals. He had also received offers from Sam Houston, Northern Iowa, Incarnate Word and the University of Texas-San Antonio.

But the 6-foot-1 and 185-pound wideout ultimately chose the Colorado Buffaloes.

During his senior season at Atascocita High School, Sowell recorded about 1,400 yards and 16 touchdowns during the Eagles’ 11-3 season. Colorado offered Sowell on Dec. 4 and after his recent trip to Boulder, he officially announced his commitment via Twitter.

Sowell is now the 19th commit of Colorado’s 2022 class and just the second wide receiver — fellow Texan Jordyn Tyson being the other.

Considering the recent mass exodus of Buffaloes’ wide receivers, Sowell and Tyson could get a decent look come fall camp.

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Buffs get commitment from 3-star outside linebacker

Eoghan Kerry is a CU Buff

With national signing day coming up on Dec. 15, the Colorado Buffaloes got their latest commitment in the class of 2022 on Wednesday in three-star outside linebacker Eoghan Kerry.

At 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Kerry projects to be a solid edge rusher for the Buffaloes. From Santa Ana, California, he is rated No. 76 in the nation at LB and No. 61 overall in The Golden State for the class of 2022, according to 247Sports.

Originally a Texas Longhorn commit for over three months, he decommitted just days ago on Nov. 27. Kerry also received offers from Utah, UCLA, Colorado State and Arizona, among others. But on Wednesday, Kerry is officially a Colorado commit.

If all goes well, the Buffs could have a respectable replacement for Carson Wells at OLB.

Colorado’s 2022 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 5 in the Pac-12 and No. 46 nationally. Kerry joins Aubrey Smith, Kenny Soares, Shakuan Bowser and Kaden Ludwick as fellow linebackers in the class.

CU Buffs recruits in town for Minnesota weekend

A handful of Colorado’s top targets in the Class of 2022 and 2023 were at Folsom Field on Saturday.

Whether it was beneficial to the program after a putrid 30-0 loss to Minnesota, the Colorado Buffaloes hosted a handful of recruits on Saturday and over the weekend.

Brayden Dormann – Quarterback – 2023

The four-star recruit is one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation for the 2022 class. His big arm has earned him a top 200 ranking on 247Sports nationally and the top prospect in Colorado. He was in Boulder for the opener against Northern Colorado and made the two-hour trek from Colorado Springs again this past Saturday. They needed him to suit up.

Ismael Cisse – Wide Receiver – 2023

A member of the 2023 class, Cisse transferred from Overland High School to Cherry Creek during the offseason. He’s one of the top weapons for Dave Logan and Cherry Creek’s offense and has found his way onto the radar of many division one programs.

Brandon Hills – Wide Receiver – 2023

One of Dormann’s top targets at Vista Ridge High School, Hills already has seven touchdown catches through three games this season.

Justis La’ulu – Defensive Lineman – 2022

Another Vista Ridge teammate of Dormann and Hills, La’uLu has been getting some interest from division one programs. The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder has reported official offers from Air Force, Eastern Washington and Idaho.

Marquise Gilbert – Safety – JUCO – 2022

Gilbert has received lots of attention from Power 5 programs over recent months. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound safety has recently added Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech to his offer list. He currently plays for Hutchinson Community College.

CU Buffs land commitment from three-star edge rusher

COMMITMENT: Colorado lands three-star OLB

The herd grew stronger on Monday.

Shaukan Bowser, a three-star recruit out of Arizona, verbally committed to the Colorado Buffaloes via Twitter.

“Taking everything into consideration, my family and I had decided it is best to start the next chapter of my football career at the University of Colorado,” Bowser tweeted.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder is ranked as a top 1000 player in the nation and top 15 in Arizona, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He is also the No. 94 linebacker in the nation.

On Rivals, he is ranked as the No. 44 outside linebacker in the nation and top 10 in his state regardless of position.

His offer list appears to value him higher than his actual ranking. Bowser received offers from Kansas State, Michigan, Utah, Iowa State, Oregon State and Arizona State among many others. He totaled 14 offers according to his 247Sports profile.

Many experts believed the biggest competition for Bowser’s commitment to be Kansas State. And not many experts would have believed Colorado would get a commitment the Monday after an abysmal performance against Minnesota.

During his junior year, Bowser recorded 77 tackles including 12 for a loss in nine games. He also recorded 11 sacks and 15 quarterback hurries for Casteel High School last season.

He played mostly with his hand in the ground during his junior season, meaning he will likely factor in as a defensive end in Colorado’s new 4-3 scheme. But he has no problem standing up and rushing the passer which allows him to be a great fit for the CU defense in the way it uses edge rushers.

Bowser is the 16th commit for Karl Dorrell’s 2022 class that is now ranked No. 7 in the Pac-12 by 247Sports.