Recruiting Prospects – 2013

Recruiting Prospects – 2013

December 20th

Colorado State picks up two junior college defensive linemen

From the Coloradoan … CSU continued to address its biggest recruiting need with the addition of two more junior-college defensive linemen to its 2013 signing class.

Martavius Foster, a 6-foot-5, 260-pounder from East Mississippi Community College, and Terry Jackson, a 6-1, 260-pounder from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, have given verbal commitments to the Rams in the past 24 hours, according to various recruiting websites. Both players were freshmen on their respective junior-college teams this past season, giving them three years of eligibility to use at Colorado State University.

Foster, who is from Starkville, Miss., was in on 14 tackles this season, including eight solo stops and four tackles for losses, with 1½ quarterback sacks. East Mississippi went 8-2. Foster signed with Tennessee State out of high school and sat out in 2011 while redshirting. His commitment was first reported late Tuesday night by Scout.com. (Foster is considered a two-star prospect by Rivals, with offers from Louisiana-Lafayette, Ohio, North Texas and South Alabama).

Jackson, who played high school football at Owasso High School in Tulsa, Okla., was in on 41 tackles, including 14 solo stops, this year for a Coffeyville team that went 6-4. Eleven of his tackles were for losses, including four quarterback sacks. He also was credited with breaking up three passes. His commitment was first reported Wednesday by Hudl.com. (Jackson is considered a three-star prospect by Rivals, reporting offers from Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Troy and Western Kentucky).

…

In all, Colorado State signed four junior college players this week, including Kapri Bibbs, a running back from Snow College in Utah (three stars from Rivals; offers from Northern Illinois and Toledo), and Laryan King, a defensive tackle from City College of San Francisco (two stars from Rivals, though he did have an offer from Washington State).

The Rams also picked up an early enrollee from the Class of 2013. Austin Berk, from Grand Junction, graduated early and will enroll in January. Berk is a 6’5″, 230-pound defensive end prospect, and is considered by Rivals to be the No. 8 prospect out of the State of Colorado this fall. Berk is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, with offers from Air Force and South Dakota State.

Colorado holding firm at 12 commitments

Adam at BuffStampede.com has done a good job at tracking down the 12 remaining players who had given Colorado verbal commitments prior to the firing of Jon Embree. From what is being reported, it appears that all 12 of the remaining commitments are holding, with the only defection being that of linebacker Marcus Loud. Loud committed to Missouri in May, changed his commitment to Colorado in September, then changed his commitment back to Missouri on December 7th (to be continued …?).

For comparison purposes – at least with the CSU commitment list – of the 12 verbal commits, ten are three-star commits, one is a two-star (linebacker George Frazier), and one is unrated (offensive lineman John Lisella).

December 19th

Kansas head coach Charlie Weis imitating KSU’s Bill Snyder

Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder has built a program in Manhattan (twice!) on a loophole which allows junior college graduates to enroll in Kansas schools upon graduation – regardless of what they studied or have credits in. As a result, the state of Kansas has a thriving junior college football base, a base which has become a feeder system of players for the Kansas State program – players which many other schools can’t enroll. Kansas State has become a magnet – and a national joke -when it comes to enrolling junior college players.

This past season, Kansas State went 11-1 in the regular season, is ranked in the top five in the nation, and will play Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl January 3rd.

The Kansas Jayhawks, meanwhile, went 1-11 under first year head coach Charlie Weis, and are going nowhere fast.

So, Weis has apparently decided … if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

Kansas has received 16 – yes sixteen – commitments from junior college players, with 11 of those commitments coming in the past month. Ten of those prospects signed with the Jayhawks Tuesday, the first day junior college players could sign with their new schools (I’ll bet most CU fans didn’t even know that Tuesday was signing day for junior college players).

What already was perceived by many as a solid Kansas University recruiting class received a little extra validation Tuesday, when ESPN released its list of the top 100 junior-college football prospects in the country. Six of those players have committed to KU, including top-ranked Marquel Combs.

Combs is a four-star defensive tackle from Pierce Community College in Woodland Hills, California. Combs, who has served as an unofficial recruiting liaison for the Jayhawks since announcing his decision last week, is one of two four-star prospects in KU’s current class, which continues to climb the rankings list nationally. As of Tuesday night, KU’s class, which features 23 total commitments and 16 from juco prospects, was ranked 31st by Rivals.com.

Eldridge Massington commits to UCLA

A four-star wide prospect, Eldridge Massington, has committed to UCLA. He had been a USC commit, and had planned to enroll early at USC after missing his senior season due to injury. The 6-3, 205-pound receiver from Mesquite, Texas, has been cleared for full speed workouts and is running routes.

When Eldridge Massington committed to USC in May he was considered one of the hottest prospects in the country after receiving offers from Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and several others, including Colorado. He is currently ranked No. 244 in the Rivals250 and No. 22 nationally among wide receivers.

December 18th

All-Pac-12 team had more three-star players than four-star players

Take heart, Buff fans. It’s not the stars associated with the recruit – it’s how you coach them up.

From ESPN … Who says you can’t build a championship team out of mostly three-star recruits? Heck, you could build an all-star team.

The three-star guys carried the torch for this year’s All-Pac-12 team. Braden Gall from Athlon Sports broke down this year’s all-conference squad by their star rating and the results are fairly interesting.

Of the 23 players on the first team, 14 were three-star recruits, eight were four-star guys and one was a two star. You get one guess on who the two-star recruit was … we’ll wait…

That’s right, it was Oregon State cornerback Jordan Poyer — a consensus All-American who was tied for the second most interceptions in the country with seven.

From Gall’s article:

The Beavers’ defensive back and return man was one of the biggest steals of the ’09 class. The Astoria (Ore.) High prospect was a wildly underrated two-star recruit with two FBS offers. Portland State, Eastern Washington, Idaho and Oregon State were the only programs who showed any serious interest in the two-star prospect. Rivals rated him as the No. 8 player in the state of Oregon.

Here’s the breakdown of the players (note, stars are based on Rivals.com rankings):

Four-star players

• Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
• Marqise Lee, WR, USC
• Khaled Holmes, OL, USC
• Reggie Dunn, KR, Utah
• Dion Jordan, DL, Oregon
• Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, DB, Oregon
• Xavier Su’a-Filo, OL, UCLA
• Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA

Three-star players

• Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
• Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon
• Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
• Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
• Hroniss Grasu, OL, Oregon
• Brian Schwenke, OL, California
• David Yankey, OL, Stanford
• Scott Crichton, DL, Oregon State
• Will Sutton, DL, Arizona State
• Trent Murphy, LB, Stanford
• Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford
• Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
• Desmond Trufant, DB, Washington
• Star Lotulelei, DL, Utah

Two-star player

• Jordan Poyer, DB, Oregon State

So with signing day on the horizon, don’t be too down if your team only has two- and three-star recruits. All it means is you could have an all-star team waiting in the wings.

Note: Some of the above All-Pac-12 players offered by Colorado … running back Ka’Deem Carey (the Arizona back who went for a record 366 yards this fall against the Buffs); offensive lineman Brian Schwenke (Cal); linebacker Trent Murphy (Stanford); cornerback Desmond Trufant (Washington) … sigh.

December 10th

Kisima Jagne heading to Arizona State?

Adam at BuffStampede.com is reporting that Kisima Jagne, one of the highest-rated members of the CU Recruiting Class of 2012, will not follow through on his greyshirt and enroll at the University of Colorado in January, instead opting to enroll at Arizona State.

Jagne was rated by Rivals as the 28th-best strongside defensive end in the nation last February, signed with the Buffs. Jagne, who played in 2011 at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds as a senior and said he now weighs 263 pounds, told ASUDevils.com he will enroll at ASU in January and be on scholarship. He has the ability to play strongside defensive end or 3-technique tackle on the interior.

The No. 9 Arizona prospect in the 2012 class, Jagne signed with Colorado in February but did not find out he was cleared for competition until mid August. At the time he was cleared, Colorado had already enrolled the maximum 25 scholarship additions in a calendar year, so there wasn’t a spot for Jagne.

As a result, he once again became a recruitable athlete. He had planned to enroll at Colorado in January, but once its coach Jon Embree was fired, he decided to look elsewhere.

MacIntyre to honor scholarship offers

Now that CU has its new head coach, the Buff Nation will turn its attention to other pressing matters … Will MacIntyre coach San Jose State in the Military Bowl on December 27th? How many assistant coaches from San Jose State will be joining MacIntyre’s staff in Boulder? and …

… What will become of the Recruiting Class of 2013?

There are eight weeks between now and Wednesday, February 6th, Signing Day. The CU recruiting Class may prove to be larger than expected, due to attrition. There were a few players we already assumed wouldn’t be coming back (including the three fourth-year juniors who were introduced on Senior Day). There will be others who started making plans on leaving as soon as Jon Embree was fired, regardless of who was to be hired. Then there will be those who will not be invited back, or see the writing on the wall in terms of future playing time and will seek a better situation elsewhere.

The end result – what was to be a recruting Class of 15-18 may well turn out to be a Class of 22-25.

And who will fill those slots?

Coach MacIntyre has already given one clue as to the makeup of the Class. Of those 12 committed to Colorado, they are still welcome to come. “They’ve committed to Colorado and I will talk to all of them,” he said. “If they definitely want to stick with Colorado, that’s what we’ll do. Those young men have committed to play here and we’re not going to change that on them now.” MacIntyre indicated that these players were such a priority, that he would be spending much of his first night as CU head coach on the phone with those dozen recruits.

Who else will be targeted?

With almost two dozen coaching changes nationwide (with more still possible. For example, if Oregon’s Chip Kelly decides to go to the NFL, the move could trigger a domino effect within the coaching ranks) players who had committed to other schools are reopening their commitments.

Two local stars may be amongst those changing their preference for future school colors. Valor Christian quarterback Luke Del Rio, rated by Rivals to be the third-best player in the state of Colorado this cycle, de-committed from Oklahoma State when the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator left to coach at another school. Would Mike MacIntyre take a look at Del Rio, with a crowded roster of quarterbacks already in place, and a potential star in Sefo Liufau seemingly still committed to coming to Boulder? Perhaps not.

What about tight end Mitchell Parsons, a four-star tight end considered to be the second-best player out of Colorado? CU hasn’t been on Parsons’ radar for some time, but a change in staff and a change in offensive philosophy might merit a second look from Parsons.

Another player who might de-commit due to a coaching change is the state’s No. 4 player, offensive lineman Dan Skipper. The No. 4 player out of the state of Colorado is a Tennessee commit, but Tennessee just changed coaches (picking up Cincinnati head coach Butch Jones, in case you missed it), and Skipper might be back on the market soon.

And what about three other top ten in-state prospects, who have given a verbal commitment to Colorado State? Will MacIntyre and staff give a call to offensive lineman Blake Nowland from Castle Rock (the No. 6 player in the state, according to Rivals) ? To defensive end Austin Berk of Grand Junction (No. 7)? To offensive lineman Jake Bennett of Lakewood (No. 10)?

Will any of the ten commits to San Jose State, which includes three wide receivers, follow MacIntyre to Boulder?

It is unlikely that there will be much movement in the recruiting Class until after the holidays. Fortunately for MacIntyre, the Embree coaching staff used up only a handful of official visits this fall, which could make for some very large congregations of players during the weekends of the month of January … Think anyone has had time to point out to coach MacIntyre that the CU men’s basketball team hosts UCLA on Saturday, January 12th? Perhaps not yet, but I’m guessing that date will be a big one for official visits.

It’s going to be an interesting eight weeks …

December 7th

Marcus Loud de-commits from CU / re-commits to Missouri

Well, until Colorado names a coach, the Recruiting Class of 2013 is on hold.

And there will be defections.

Adam at www.buffstampede.com is reporting that Marcus Loud, who committed to Colorado September 30th, has de-committed.

Less than two weeks ago, Loud told Rivals.com, right after receiving word of Jon Embree being fired as head coach of the Colorado program, he was saddened but not surprised. Regardless, he is still committed.

“It does not affect me at all,” Loud said. “No matter where I go I’m going to do the same thing and if I want to go to the next level, like my coaches tell me now, ‘If they want you they will find you.’ So it really doesn’t matter where I go.”

After visiting Boulder in September, he has not wavered from his commitment and the overall feel played a huge part.

“It’s a good school and I really liked that when I went down there,” Loud said.

Loud previously committed to Missouri in May, so he may still be open to Colorado once a new coach is named …

December 2nd

CU commit Sefo Liufau sets records

Colorado quarterback commit Sefo Liufau broke Washington state title game records with 33 completions and 45 attempts in the 4A championship game, but it was not enough to overcome Skyline Prep (and USC quarterback commit Max Browne), with Skyline defeating Bellarmine Prep, 49-24.

Liufau passed for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the championship game, and also rushed for 14 yards. 14 games as a senior, Liufau completed 193-of-280 passes (68.9 percent) for 2,521 yards and 24 touchdowns.

November 30th

Kisima Jagne still being recruited by Buff coaching staff

Addendum … A family member of CU 2012 recruit Kisima Jagne has been posting on AllBuffs. One of the highest-rated recruits of last February’s class, the defensive end from Arizona is a gray-shirt, and is set to enroll at Colorado in January. Obviously, Jagne status is in limbo, as both Jagne and his new head coach have options. It does appear at this time that Jagne still wants to be a Buff, and the family reported that defensive line coach Kanavis McGhee had flown down to Arizona to meet with Jagne, trying to keep the star player a black-and-gold recruit.

November 25th

Recruiting prospects unsure about their status with CU

What’s it like being a 17-year old who has committed to school, only to find out the coach you have committed to is leaving?

And you have no idea who the new coach will be, or if that new coach will honor your scholarship offer?

Try terrifying.

Still, recruiting services were working overtime Sunday night, trying to see how many of CU’s thirteen known verbal commits are still committed to CU.

From the Daily Camera … Wide receiver Devin Ross, who gave a verbal commitment to the Buffs for the class of 2013, was already looking at other schools because of CU’s dismal season. He said he will continue to look at CU and others, but wasn’t too surprised about the decision.

“I really like coach Embree and everything, it’s just the way his team looked, they looked undisciplined and everything, so I guess it was bound to happen, if not sooner than later,” Ross said in a phone interview. “They have to move on, I guess.

“I committed before the season started because, I knew they weren’t going to be like a great team, but I thought they were going to be like rebuilding this year, pretty decent, but not horrible. They were pretty disappointing this year to me.”

Denver South running back Phillip Lindsay said he didn’t agree with the decision. Reached by phone, Lindsay said, “I feel it was kind of unfair for Jon Embree to get fired after only two of years of trying to rebuild, but I can’t sit there and I can’t dwell on it.

“At this point, yes I am, I’m going to stay committed to Colorado. Either way the program has to be turned around. I made a commitment to turn the program around.”

Stay tuned …  

November 16th

Linebacker and Wide receiver amongst official visitors this weekend

There are at least two known official visitors in town this weekend for the Washington game. Colorado has not had a great number of official visitors during the regular season (less than ten to date, of the 55 allowed), preferring to wait until the regular season ends (which comes in eight days) to spend more time with recruiting.

Two of the players who have taken official visits this fall, defensive end Marcus Loud and linebacker/defensive end Jimmie Gilbert, have committed to the Buffs after their visits (this despite watching the Buffs lose – Loud was in town for the 42-14 loss to UCLA, while Gilbert was on the sidelines for the 48-0 loss to Stanford).

Unlucky on the field, lucky off the field …?

Perhaps the Buffs will be lucky this weekend as well.

Here is information on the two known visitors, both of whom – not coincidentally – are from the same high school in Oregon …

Linebacker Johnny Ragin III … Ragin is a linebacker prospect from Wilsonville, Oregon. Ragin is 6’3″, 215-pounds, and runs a 4.59 in the 40. Ragin is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect, with Rivals rating Ragin as the fourth-best player out of the state of Oregon this fall, with Scout rating Ragin as it’s No. 69 outside linebacker nationally.

Ragin has offers from BYU, Oregon State, Nevada, and Wyoming. Ragin is planning on taking an official visit to Cal in December, but does not yet have an offer from the Golden Bears. Ragin has already taken two unofficial visits to BYU as well. Ragin has been in contact with Oregon (with an unofficial visit to Eugene in September), UCLA, and Notre Dame, and is hoping to hear from those schools in December. “Everything is pretty even right now,” Ragin told TotalBlueSports.com (BYU) this week. “I’m just looking forward to taking my trips and looking forward to just talking to my mom and getting everything set.”  Rivals bio  Scout bio

Ragin’s senior year YouTube highlights:

Wide receiver Tanner Shipley … Shipley is a wide receiver prospect from Wilsonville, Oregon. Shipley 6’2″, 190-pounds, and runs a 4.5 in the 40. Shipley is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a two-star prospect, with Rivals rating Shipley as the 10th-best player out of the state of Oregon this fall, with Scout rating Shipley as the No. 216 wide receiver nationally.

Shipley has many of the same offers as does Ragin – BYU, Oregon State, Wyoming – along with Northern Colorado. Shipley originally committed to BYU in June, but de-committed in August. “I rushed it,” Shipley told Rivals.com in August. “I want to make sure I’m 110-percent committed to whatever school I choose. This time, I’m going to take my time.” Shipley hasn’t scheduled any other official visits, but he, like Ragin, has taken an unofficial visits to Oregon, BYU, and Oregon State. Rivals bio  Scout bio

Tanner Shipley junior year highlights:

Kisima Jagne visiting his teammates

One of the prized recruits from the CU Class of 2012 was defensive end Kisima Jagne, from Chandler, Arizona. As Buff fans will recall, Jagne had issues getting some of his classes approved, and, by the time he did, it was too late to get him enrolled and practicing with his teammates. As a result, Jagne is a gray-shirt, and will enroll at CU in January. He will still have five years to play four for the Buffs.

Here was Jagne’s bio on Signing Day, 2012 …

KISIMA JAGNE – DE

Just the facts … Committed December 8th … Jagne is a defensive end prospect from Chandler, Arizona. Jagne is 6’5″, 235-pounds, and reportedly runs an impressive 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others say about Jagne … Jagne is rated as a three-star player by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Jagne pegged as the No. 28 strong defensive end in the nation, and the No. 9 player overall out of the state of Arizona this fall. Scout considers Jagne the 54th-best defensive end prospect in the nation. Scout.com rated Jagne as the top defensive lineman prospect in the state of Arizona this fall. Jagne was also recruited as a basketball player, but will concentrate on football at Colorado.

An analyst for Scout had this to say about Jagne: “As good looking a prospect from a physical standpoint as you will find. Big, strong and has the length coveted by every college coach. Has the ability to be an every down player at the next level as he is just as stout against the run as he is an efficient pass rusher. Long arms help him get to the quarterback. Can be a dominant force when he wants to, which is his knock, as he does take some plays off.”

Tom Lemming had this to say about Jagne: “He shows the athletic ability, length, long arms, and burst to become an effective pass rusher in college. Needs to be more consistent but the athletic ability is certainly there”.

Jagne had other offers from … A number of other BCS conference schools, including both Arizona schools and both Washington schools from the Pac-12. Jagne also had offers from Michigan State, Purdue, and Oklahoma State. Jagne took an official visit to Arizona State when the Sun Devils crushed the Buffs in Tempe, but took his official visit to Boulder a few weeks later when the Buffs defeated Arizona. Jagne commited to the Buffs on December 8th during an in-home visit with Colorado defensive ends coach Kanavis McGhee.

In his own words … “I can play when I get there,” Jagne told Rivals.com. “They only have two defensive ends there now and just all the coaches (really stood out). I am very fast. I can use my speed or my bull rush to get around offensive linemen”.

November 2nd

Buffs hope to land DE/LB hybrid from College Station

Homecoming would normally be considered a good time for a school to host a number of official visits. The campus has more activities, there’s a parade, and the home team can show off a proud and loyal crowd.

Welcome to CU Homecoming, 2012. The Buffs are a four-touchdown underdog to No. 15 Stanford, and the 1-7 Buffs will likely run out into Folsom Field on Saturday behind a half-filled stadium (with a noon start, don’t expect the student section to be more than a “partial sellout” at kickoff.

To this game the Buffs will bring only one known official visitor, Jimmie Gilbert, a defensive end/linebacker from College Station, Texas.

Jimmie Gilbert is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, though not at the same position. Gilbert is 6’4″, 205-pounds, and runs a 4.58 in the 40. Rivals has Gilbert listed as an outside linebacker, while Scout has Gilbert as the No. 100 defensive end prospect in the nation. Gilbert is playing all over the defensive front this season and has eight sacks, 59 tackles and 29 tackles-for-loss.

“I’m really a hybrid,” Gilbert told CycloneReport.com. “I’ll walk down and play defensive end with my hand down or up. And then other times I’ll drop into coverage. Some schools are recruiting me as a hybrid, some are as an outside linebacker and others as a defensive end. I like the versatility and the fact I get to move around and play different roles.”

Gilbert, though he is a stone’s throw away from the Texas A&M campus, does not have an offer from the Aggies. Gilbert does have an offer from a Big 12 school, but it is from Iowa State. None of the Texas schools have offered, but Gilbert does have other offers from Purdue, Boston College, Tulsa and New Mexico.

Back in August, before the Buffs’ season began, Gilbert was high on Colorado. “Colorado is always contacting me on Facebook and showing me how interested they are,” Gilbert told BuffStampede.com. “I really appreciate that. Their coaches told me they would see me fitting in as kind of a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker in their system, which is what I played my junior year in high school. I feel like it would suit me well.”

Gilbert has already taken one official visit, to Purdue on October 6th (where he watched the home team lose to Michigan, 44-13), and will be in Boulder this weekend. Gilbert’s other official visits will likely be to Iowa State, Tulsa, and either Boston College or New Mexico.

UPDATE: While not naming names, head coach Jon Embree has indicated that Gilbert’s choice will likely come down to Colorado and Purdue – the school’s which have the engineering program Gilbert is looking at for a major …

September 27th

Two official visitors scheduled for UCLA game

Colorado already has 13 names on its commitment list for the Class of 2013. With a Class of 16-20 expected, there will not be huge gatherings of potential recruits along the Folsom Field sidelines this fall.

While there may be other official visitors on hand for the UCLA game (along with local players taking unofficial visits), there are only two high school seniors that we know will be in Boulder this weekend:

– Marcus Loud is a strongside defensive end from Houston, Texas. The 6’4″, 235-pound athlete has given a verbal commitment to Missouri, but it is considered a “soft verbal”. Loud is being recruited by defensive line coach Kanavis McGhee, and is also holds offers from schools like Michigan State, Iowa State, Houston, TCU and Mississippi State.  UPDATE:  Committed to Colorado after his visit.

– Kevin Palma is a middle linebacker from Tulare, California. The 6’1″, 225-pounder is considered to by Rivals to be the No. 26 inside linebacker in the nation, while Scout rates him as the No. 9 middle linebacker in the country. CU is competing with Pac-12 schools like UCLA and Oregon State, as well as other regional schools like Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State for Palma’s services. UPDATE: Committed to Stanford October 15th.

August 1st

Colorado State picks up running back and quarterback for the Class of 2013

Colorado State, like Colorado, was top-heavy in offensive line recruits on its list of verbal commitments for the recruiting Class of 2013. Of the Rams’ first six verbal commitments, three were from offensive linemen (with two others coming from tight ends).

The first full recruiting Class for first-year head coach Jim McElwain continues to emphasize the offense, as the Rams picked up verbal commitments from a running back and quarterback in the past week.

Kapri Bibbs first wanted to sign with Colorado State as part of the Class of 2012. Bibbs set twelve school records and six state records as a senior at Plainfield North High School in Illinois in 2011, accounting for 2,778 yards and 40 scores in nine games. Bibbs didn’t qualify, though, and spent last fall at Snow Junior College in Utah. As a freshman at Snow  last fall, Bibbs said coaches limited his touches to prevent injuries, but he still ran for 415 yards and 6 touchdowns on 74 carries.

Bibbs will sit out this fall, and will be eligible to play as a red-shirt sophomore in 2013.

The Ram Nation is also excited about the verbal commitment from quarterback Nick Stevens, a two-star prospect from Murrieta, California. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Stevens certainly looks the part of a high-profile recruit. He completed 114 of 204 passes for 1,692 yards and 14 touchdowns, with four interceptions, last fall and ran for another 906 yards and nine TDs for a Vista Murrieta team that won the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section championship.

Boasted the Coloradoan… “Nebraska was interested in Nick Stevens. So were Wisconsin and Notre Dame. All three powerhouse college football programs had the quarterback from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, Calif., on their recruiting radar, one of his high school coaches said Tuesday. CSU had him on their list, too. And got him. That’s what a coach that has been part of two national championship teams in the past three years at Alabama will do for a program”.

Or, in the glass half empty category … Stevens is listed as only a two-star prospect at Rivals, while Scout has not yet gotten around to rating Stevens. Both services list only offers for Stevens from Colorado State … and Utah State.

A “real steal” for the Rams? … Time will tell …

July 24th

2012 recruits Williams; Jagne could join Class of 2013

From the Camera … Two recruits from the Class of 2013 could become members of the CU recruiting Class of 2013 – wide receiver Peyton Williams and defensive lineman Kisima Jagne

PEYTON WILLIAMS – WR

Just the facts … Committed July 14, 2011 … Williams is a wide receiver from Southlake, Texas. Williams is 6’1″, 185-pounds, and runs a 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

Concerning his knee injury … “I had surgery (in early January) and it went really, really well,” Williams told BuffStampede.com this past spring. “The doctors were very pleased and very impressed with how it went. I started rehab that next week so I am already into that. It feels good. You just sit there for a while and you sulk and stuff but now I have the surgery over with, that is a big step, and now I have the rehab, standing up and walking and all those steps. Every day it is getting better.”

Some Colorado fans wondered, even last spring, if Williams might grayshirt and join the Buffs in January, 2013. Williams said this spring, however, that such a plan had never been discussed. Not only did Williams not see himself as a grayshirt candidate, he was not even looking at a red-shirt season in 2012. “Well, I’m anticipating I’ll be full go (for fall), but, you know, they say about six months,” Williams told BuffaloSportsNews.net. “But I’m not like most people. I’m going to work a lot harder. So I’ll probably heal a lot faster I’m assuming.”

However … While Williams continues to be listed as a member of the active roster, Embree said at the Pac-12 Media Days that Williams will be in Boulder in early August. At that time, a determination will be made at that time about whether he will grayshirt or if he has recovered sufficiently from a torn ACL he suffered in December to be able to contribute in 2012.

KISIMA JAGNE – DE

Just the facts … Committed December 8, 2011 … Jagne is a defensive end from Chandler, Arizona. Jagne is 6’5″, 235-pounds, and reportedly runs an impressive 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio ESPN bio

What others say about Jagne … Jagne was rated as a three-star player by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals had Jagne pegged as the No. 28 strong defensive end in the nation, and the No. 9 player overall out of the state of Arizona this past fall. Scout considered Jagne the 54th-best defensive end prospect in the nation. Scout.com rated Jagne as the top defensive lineman prospect in the state of Arizona in 2011. Jagne was also recruited as a basketball player, but will concentrate on football at Colorado.

Media Days Update … Jagne is the only potential non-qualifier from the CU Recruiting Class of 2012. Embree said Jagne is waiting on a test score to determine his eligibility. He said if he is not cleared academically, Jagne could grayshirt this fall and join the program in January. He did not mention junior college as an option.

—

A mixed bag on the two recruits. Williams appeared to be well on his way to being in shape for fall camp, and the Buffs certainly need wide receivers now. That a grayshirt is being considered is a fair indication that Williams may not be ready. Not that he can’t be a full speed contributor for four seasons, but that it may be too soon (as may be the case with Paul Richardson) to force him onto the field in 2012.

As for Jagne, it is good news that he may still qualify to play in 2012. The defensive line is another area of desperate need, and Jagne was the highest rated of the nine defensive linemen signed back in February. At the very least, it is great news that Jagne will at least be a grayshirt candidate. If Jagne went the junior college route, he would be lost to the Buffs for two seasons, with no guarantee he would sign with the Buffs for his final two years of eligibility. If Jagne grayshirts, he will be a Buff in January, and still have five years to play four (and be a much larger and faster player when he does).

July 22nd

Jacob Alsadek chooses Arizona

Torrey Pines, California, offensive lineman Jacob Alsadek (see stories, below), was certainly interested in Colorado.

Then it looked like he might be going with Stanford if the Cardinal offered.

Then it looked like Vanderbilt was a front-runner.

But it turned out to be Arizona.

The Arizona Daily Star is reporting that Alsadek will be committing to the Wildcats.

“Something about Arizona that really stood out to me. That’s why I committed there,” he told the Star. “It was really hard to choose between Boulder and Tucson, especially. Both schools were amazing.”

July 20th

CSU offensive lineman commit injured in Aurora shooting

From the Coloradoan … CSU football recruit Zack Golditch was among the 71 injured in this morning shooting at the Century 16 Theater in Aurora.

He and members of the Gateway High School football team were in a theater room adjacent to the one where 24-year-old James Holmes opened fire. The bullet traveled through the wall, striking Golditch, an offensive lineman, in the right side, entering just below the ear, exiting at his hairline.

Bullet penetration was not deep, he said, and he suffered no serious injuries.

“It was at the scene of the movie where a firearm was pulled and shots were fired. It kind of sounded like black cats went off,” said Golditch. “Everyone kind of looked around the theater and this guy had like a hole in his arm. Everyone just thought they were firecrackers so we turned back to the movie, and that’s when my ears started ringing and I fell on my friend. I was fearful of another firecracker coming to hit me.”

Golditch is an unrated lineman who committed to Colorado State in June. He did report an offer from Colorado, as well as Air Force, Wyoming, and Northern Colorado. The Gateway standout said when he committed in June that he is solid in his verbal pledge to CSU, but will still take calls from schools. “(Coaches) say they’re going to keep talking to me. I talked to CU today (June 13th) and they didn’t really say much about it (the commitment) and they said they would continue to message me and what-not.”

While Buff fans have their issues with the Green-and-Gold, I feel confident that all of us in the Buff Nation are grateful that Golditch’s injuries were not more severe, and wish this young man nothing but the best …

July 17th

Alsadek update

One of Colorado’s chief competitors for the services of Jacob Alsadek (see story, below) is Vanderbilt. This past week, Alsadek was in Nashville for Vanderbilt’s Elite and Junior Star Camp, and impressed those in attendance.

Here’s what VandySports.com had to say: Alsadek made a good case for a possible future offer with possibly the best performance in a talented lineman group. The San Diego native tipped the scales at over 330 pounds but he appeared to have no real bad weight. Long and agile for his size, Alsadek did a good job of maintaining leverage during drills and keeping up with quick defensive ends. His hands and punch could use some work, but he solidified his status as a BCS level prospect. He may be one to watch down the road.

Stay tuned …

July 10th

One more offensive line recruit?

Ten of the 12 known Colorado verbal commitments for the Class of 2013 are offensive players, and five of those are offensive lineman.

Is there room for a sixth offensive lineman?

Just as the defensive line was the focus of the recruiting Class of 2013, the offensive line has been a priority for the Class of 2013.

One lineman on the CU short list is Jacob Alsadek from Torrey Pines high in San Diego. Though as yet unrated by either Rivals or Scout, the 6’7″, 325-pound offensive tackle Alsadek has been making the rounds this summer, and has been picking up offers. Alsadek this week told BuffStampede.com that he had narrowed his choices down to five finalists: Arizona State; Colorado; Vanderbilt; Kansas State; and Arizona. Alsadek has also reportedly been to camps at Stanford and Cal.

Alsadek says his recruiting is still wide open right now. he says he doesn’t like the idea of a decommitment and intends to take his time in finding the right university for him before making a pledge.

“I’m waiting to see what offers I’ll have then weigh the pros and cons of each one with my family,” Alsadek told VandyMania on Monday. “Academics are very important to me. It’s every football players dream to play in the NFL and I want to go to a college that will help give me the best chance. Location is important to my parents, but for me it’s about finding the school that’s right for me. No matter where you go you only get to go home four weeks out of the year.”

As a junior, Alsadek was named All-Palomar League honorable mention at left tackle. In the off-season, he’s been working on his technique with former NFL player, Stan Thomas. Alsadek was an All-Academic selection by the San Diego Tribune in 2011. He reports a 3.3 GPA and a 27 on the SAT.

Looks like a good fit for the Buffs …

July 2nd

Washington jumps into top 20 with huge recruiting weekend

Someday, Colorado will also have a recruiting weekend like Washington had this past weekend.

In the matter of a few days, the Huskies landed seven recruits. According to Rivals, Washington picked up a four-star recruit, with the remaining six being three-star prospects. For its part, Scout was even more impressed, considering the gang of seven to be made up of four four-star recruits, two three-star prospects, and a lone two-star player. Washington moved up to No. 15 in the national rankings in the eyes of Rivals, jumping from No. 37 to No. 11 on Scout’s board. (Colorado, with 12 commits, is ranked 48th nationally by both Rivals and Scout).

The seven recruits who took part in Washington’s Rising Star camp last weekend, going on to commit to the Huskies, are as follows: RB Lavon Coleman, Lompoc, Calif. (Lompoc Senior High); DE Daeshon Hall, Lancaster, Texas (Lancaster High); DT Elijah Qualls, Petaluma, Calif. (Casa Grande); OLB Caleb Tucker, Monroe, La. (Ouachita Parish HS); OT Poasi Moala, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Rancho Verde); WR Demorea Stringfellow, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Rancho Verde); DT Andrew Basham, Lynnwood, Washington (Lynwood).

Of the seven, only Elijah Qualls held an offer from Colorado. But it was Qualls who was the ringleader behind the stampede to commit to Washington. “I definitely been asking these guys,” Qualls told Dawgman.com after the historic event took place. “I realize a lot of them are the top guys in California, definitely – and some of them are the top in the nation. I realized that we all love Washington. I’ve been talking, trying to get a lot of guys committed and not worrying too much who else is going to commit. For me, I want to make sure I recruited good people, good players, and are serious about what they are doing and are looking for what I’m looking for…because if you get people on the same page, that’s teamwork. It’s the same thing. I wanted to do something different. Everybody wants to commit and have the attention on them, but I wanted this to be a team thing because Washington – we are a team. We are a wolf pack; we run together and we do everything together. I told all these guys, if you go to Washington we’ll all have your back and everything. And they all agreed.”

Though the big weekend is hard for Buff fans to take, it must be even harder on Cal fans. The maestro behind the mass signings was assistant coach Tosh Lupoi, who defected from Cal to Washington late in the 2012 recruiting process, bringing with him to Seattle several prize recruits. “I spent a lot of time with Tosh Lupoi and I can see why everyone calls him the best recruiter around,” said Qualls. “On Friday, I spent a lot of time with all the coaches but Tosh never left my side. You can tell he’s a great mentor and a person and as a player, you just want to hang out with him.”

Someday, Buff fans. Someday …

Tags: Chris Fox
This post, about the Recruiting game, from the 2012 Season, is filed under Article.
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