Class of 2015 – Signed LOI

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Colorado Recruiting Class of 2015 – Signed Letters of Intent

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Notes

– 3:00 p.m.  … CU head coach Mike MacIntyre will have a press conference. Updates from the press conference, along with updated bios of the members of the Class of 2015, will be posted during and after the press conference.

– 7:00 p.m. … I will be the guest on Don Brenner’s “CU at Mile High Sports” radio program, where we will discuss in some detail the members of the new CU Class. You can listen (and call in!) at 94.1 FM (1550 AM) in Denver, or listen on line by clicking here.

– 12:00 p.m. (Thursday) – Luncheon with Coach MacIntyre introducing the CU Class of 2015.

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New to the Buffs in 2015 – By Position

QB – Steven Montez

RB – Patrick Carr; Aaron Baltazar; Donald Gordon

WR – Justin Jan

TE – Chris Bounds

OL – Dillon Middlemiss (early enrollee); Isaac Miller (Grey-shirt); Tim Lynott; Aaron Haigler

DL – Leo Jackson III (JC); Nathaniel “Blake” Robbins (JC); Jordan Carrell (JC); Frank Umu; Brett Tonz; Lyle Tuiloma

LB – Grant Watanabe (Grey-shirt), N.J. Falo

DB – Afolabi Laguda (JC); Isaiah Oliver; Nick Fisher

K/P – Alex Kinney

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New to the Buffs in 2015 – Bios

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Steven Montez – QB

Just the facts … Committed June 19th … Montez is a 6’5″, 185-pound quarterback from El Paso, Texas  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Montez … Montez is rated by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. Scout lists Montez as the No. 12 quarterback out of the state of Texas, the No. 15 quarterback in the Midlands, and the No. 74 quarterback overall.

This past fall, Montez passed for 2,967 yards this season with 46 touchdown passes, almost doubling his junior season total. He also added 1,058 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. The Conquistadors went 11-2 this season, but lost in the playoffs to eventual Texas 5A state champion Aledo. For his efforts, Montez was named the El Paso Times Offensive Player-of-the-Year.

Del Valle coach Jesse Perales had this to say about his quarterback: “Steven made tremendous strides as his career developed. He was a great teammate, a great leader. He made big play after big play for us this year. He deserves everything he’s gotten in his career. He has a bright future at the next level. I believe he’ll have a chance to go into Colorado and play right away. I know he will give his best effort at the next level.”

In 2013, Montez completed 152-of-228 passes for 1,776 yards and 27 touchdowns while throwing only three interceptions for the 8-4 Conquistadores. Montez also posted 62 rushes for 343 yards (a 5.5 yards per carry average) and seven touchdowns while earning District Player-of-the-Year award honors. Montez was also the starting quarterback in his sophomore season, completing 141-of-249 passes for 1,769 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Montez had other offers from … Air Force, New Mexico State, and UTEP, and was attracting attention from New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Tennessee and Stanford.

Here is a link to a local television station interview with Montez and his father (and quarterback coach) about recruiting and the offers Montez has received (three minutes which will make you feel better about Montez becoming the Buff leader of the future).

In his own words … “It was a learning experience just coming out here and having fun,” Montez told GoPokes.com after competing at an Elite 11 camp last May. “I thought I did well, but you can always do better. You know I’m just trying to get better and trying to show my stuff, show what I’ve got.”

Montez caught the eyes of head coach Trent Dilfer and most of the Elite 11 staff as you would see them pulling him aside and working with him on some of his technique and primarily some steps. Montez took the coaching readily. “I thought the instruction was good,” he added. “They said the best coaches in the world were out here for quarterbacks, and you can’t argue with that.”

As to his senior season, Montez had this to say: “I would have only been satisfied with a state title. Losing to the eventual state champion is a consolation,” Montez said. “I look back on my career as a really satisfying one. I started as a sophomore and to be at this point in my career is tremendous. I matured a great deal, physically I got better. I want to be remembered as one of the best playmakers to ever come out of this area. I want to build on my high school career as I go forward. I can still grow as a player in every way. I will be going to a really good school that plays in a great conference against the likes of USC, UCLA, Washington, Stanford, Oregon. Who wouldn’t want to go up against that kind of competition?”.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights from Montez’s senior year.

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Patrick Carr – RB

Just the facts … Committed February 4th … Carr is a 5’9″, 190-pound running back from The Woodlands, Texas  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Carr … Carr is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Carr ranked as the No. 14 overall all-purpose back in the nation, and the No. 87 prospect out of the state of Texas. Scout considers Carr to be the No. 16 running back out of the Midlands, and the No. 80 running back overall in the nation.

As a senior, Carr was ranked as the No. 286 player on ESPN’s 300 List, and was ranked 93rd (the 15th running back) on the Texas 150 List by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. He also garnered Houston Area Player of the Week honors for his efforts against Conroe.  He finished his career as The Woodlands all-time leader in rushing yards (4,932) and touchdowns (51), while recording 18 games with 100 or more yards.  As a senior, he rushed the ball 172 times for 1,276 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging a very healthy 7.6 yards per try; he had six games over 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown in nine of 11 games.

Carr had other offers from … many schools. From the Pac-12, Carr had offers from Arizona State, Cal, and Oregon State. Carr also had offers from schools like TCU, Texas Tech, Kentucky, Illinois and BYU. The most significant offer, though, was from Arkansas. Carr seemed destined to head to Fayetteville, but star running back Jonathan Williams, the Razorbacks’ leading rusher, declared that he was returning for his senior season. With Williams returning, there was one less spot in the running back rotation at Arkansas, and Carr started looking around. He took his official visit to Boulder on January 30th, the last weekend before Signing Day.

Here is a link to his senior year highlights from Hudl.com.

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Aaron Baltazar – RB – Transfer

Just the facts … Committed January 25th, according to Adam at BuffStampede.com … Baltazar is 5’11”, 190-pound running back from Chula Vista, California  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Baltazar … Baltazar was rated by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect from the Recruiting Class of 2013. Baltazar signed with Boise State, and played as a true freshman in the fall of 2013. He played in the first five games before injuring his knee and missing the remainder of the season. In those five games, Baltazar had 50 carries for 234 yards and two touchdowns, together with five receptions for 19 yards. His best game was against Fresno State, when he had 18 carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

As noted, Baltazar suffered a season-ending knee injury after playing in the first five games of 2013, but did not return to play for the Broncos. In the spring of 2014, Baltazar transferred to Washington State, but did not play for the Cougars this past season, leaving Pullman last summer. Having played in 2013, and having sat out 2014, Baltazar would have three years left on his eligibility clock, and will have three years to play three in Boulder. Also to be sorted out is the seriousness of his 2013 knee injury, and his condition to play in 2015. Presumably he has healed and is ready to play, seeing at it has been 18 months since his injury, and is being recruited.

In high school, Baltazar earned first-team All-State, All-CIF San Diego Section and All-Metro-Mesa League honors as a nsenior at running back, after earning first-team All-League honors at strong safety as a junior. He had a monster senior year, rushing for 1,855 yards on 218 attempts (8.5 per), scoring 23 touchdowns; he also caught seven passes for 80 yards (11.4). On defense, at strong safety, he was in on 73 tackles (55 solo, three for losses with two quarterback sacks), with 14 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two recoveries and an interception.

Baltazar had other offers from … UCLA and Washington from the Pac-12, as well as Cincinnati and San Diego State. As a member of the Class of 2013, Rivals rated Baltazar as the No. 60 player overall out of the state of California, while Scout had him as the No. 7 running back out of California, the No. 8 running back in the West, and the No. 49 running back in the nation. According to a Washington State fansite, last spring, upon leaving Boise State, Baltazar had interest from UCLA, USC, and Oregon State before settling on Washington State.

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Donald Gordon – RB

Just the facts … Committed September 30th … Gordon is a 6’0″, 200-pound running back from Long Beach, California  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Gordon … Gordon is rated by both Rivals and Scout as a three-star prospect, but was listed a four-star prospect according to ESPN.

As a senior, Gordon was named to the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s prestigious “Dream Team” roster, as well as its All-Area team; he was an honorable mention “Dream Team,” choice as a junior. He earned first-team All-Moore League honors as both a junior and senior. Scout.com ranked him as the No. 5 running back and the 91st-ranked prospect overall in the state of California. The Press-Telegram on Gordon: “He has an upright, physical running style that reminds many of Eric Dickerson, as well as a vicious spin move which he unleashed early and often last year.” As a senior, he had 149 rushes for 1,249 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry; he had five 100-yard games (one over 300, his only game with 20 or more carries), scoring at least once in eight of 10 games (note … props to CU SID Dave Plati for these stats. They were not available through the usual sources, so Dave went through game videos and compiled the stats himself).

In his first game for Millikan high this season, Gordon posted the following numbers: 25 carries for 335 yards and six touchdowns … in only his sixth varsity game. Why only his sixth? In an article in the Long Beach Press Telegram, Gordon’s story is explained: After moving to California from Louisiana during his sophomore year, Gordon sat out at Long Beach Jordan because he was academically ineligible. “His grades were a mess when he came out here from New Orleans,” says Millikan offensive coordinator Thomas Barnes, who coached Gordon at Jordan. The soft-spoken Gordon focused on his grades, and then sat out more games during his junior season after transferring from Jordan to Millikan. As a result, the biggest hole in Gordon’s game isn’t physical, or even mental — it’s simply reps and experience.

Gordon is reportedly very fast … he’s been clocked at a 4.4 in the 40 and 10.9 in the 100, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram article. Also, according to PrepCalTrack.com, Gordon ran an 11.25 in the 100m run last April.

Gordon had other offers from … only San Jose State. However, after the season began, Gordon received interest from Pac-12 schools, including Oregon State, UCLA, and Washington. The main concern about Gordon, as outlined above, is academics. If he can keep it together this spring, he will be eligible to become a Buff this fall.

Here is a link to Hudl.com video highlights of Gordon running for touchdown after touchdown. According to MaxPreps, Millikan is only the 327th-ranked school in the state of California, so some of the stats this season may have to be taken with a grain of salt due to the competition.

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Justin Jan – WR

Committed December 8th … Tan is a 6’3″, 205-pound wide receiver from Chandler, Arizona.  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Jan … Jan is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. According to 247Sports, Jan is the 229th-best wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 29 player overall out of Arizona this season. Jan was named to the Arizona 247Sports All Division 1 team, as well as the Arizona All-Class team … Before the state playoffs began, Chandler head coach Shaun Aguano emailed azcentral.com that he felt Jan was “the best receiver next to Christian Kirk (who is rated by Rivals to be a five-star prospect, the No. 3 wide receiver in the nation).”

A two-year starter at wide receiver, Jan earned first-team All-State, All-Division I and All-Section I honors as a senior, when he was ranked as the No. 20 overall prospect and the second-rated receiver in the state of Arizona (Rivals.com; he was the 25th ranked player by Scout.com). As a senior, he caught 48 passes for 918 yards, averaging a healthy 19.1 yards per reception, with 16 touchdowns; throw in a two-point conversion catch, and he scored 98 points on the year, second-most on a team that scored 642 points on the season, or 45.6 per game. He had three 100-yard receiving games (and two others in the 90s), scoring multiple TDs on five occasions.

Jan had other offers from … No listed schools, although UCLA and Arizona State from the Pac-12 reportedly had interest, along with schools like Utah State and Northern Arizona.

In his own words … From azcentral.com … “I went on my visit this weekend (the first weekend in December), and there is not a reason to sit and wait,” Jan said. “The weather was beautiful. The campus is beautiful. They’ve upgraded facilities. I want to be a part of it … They’re telling me prepare in the off-season and there is not a reason why I can’t play early. That’s as good as it gets.”

Here is a link to Hudl.com’s senior year highlights of Jan in action.

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Chris Bounds – TE

Just the facts … Committed September 25th … Bounds is a 6’4″, 255-pound tight end/defensive end from West Hills, California Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Bounds … Bounds is considered to be a two-star prospect by Rivals, but a three-star prospect by Scout. According to Scout, Bounds is the No. 10 tight end out of the state of California this year, the No. 15 tight end in the west, and the No. 60 tight end nationally.

He earned second-team All-Mission League honors for the third straight season as a senior, though he did garner first-team All-CIF recognition his junior year. He was primarily a career blocking tight end, starting for three years, for a Chaminade team that averaged 241 rushing yards per game in 2014 (and an offense that put just under 460 in the books each week); he caught two passes for 30 yards as a senior (one touchdown), seven for 69 as a junior and three for 41 his sophomore season.

Bounds had other offers from … No known schools, though there was interest from Pac-12 schools, including Washington, Oregon, and Utah. If Bounds signs with the Buffs, he will become the fourth player from Chaminade high in West Hills, California to join the Buffs. The other three are sophomore wide receiver Elijah Dunston, sophomore wide receiver Donovan Lee and red-shirt freshman linebacker Rick Gamboa.

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DILLON MIDDLEMISS – OL (enrolled early)

Just the facts … Committed April 12th … Middlemiss is a 6’5″, 275-pound offensive lineman from Westminster (Pomona), Colorado Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Middlemiss … Middlemiss is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals and by Scout. Middlemiss was rated as the No. 4 overall prospect out of the state of Colorado by Rivals, and the second offensive lineman (behind only Tim Lynott, also a CU commit). Scout also ranked Middlemiss as the No. 4 overall prospect out of Colorado this year, as well the 26th-best offensive tackle in the west, and the 136th-best offensive tackle in the nation. Middlemiss was named the Colorado Lineman-of-the-Year, helping Pomona reach the state 5A quarter-finals for the third consecutive year. Middlemiss was also named to the MaxPreps All-State First-Team.

In 2013, Middlemiss helped Pomona Panthers rack up nearly 3,600 yards rushing and almost 400 points on their way to a 9-3 record. This past fall, Pomona also had a 9-3 overall record, with 2,783 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns.

PrepColorado.com had this to say about Middlemiss: “Middlemiss, 6-6 270 pounds, is a very good run blocker, who can move and reach multiple levels. Film review shows the big tackle can not only get to linebackers, but finish once he is there. As a pass blocker, Middlemiss is solid and shows good feet. Middlemiss is long and can use his reach to take on rushers. This reach and frame are keys to his future in college. Building on his skill set, Middlemiss needs to get stronger to get stronger in preparation for the rigors of college offensive line play”.

Middlemiss had other offers from … Wyoming and South Dakota State. Middlemiss committed to Colorado after the 2014 Spring game, which may have limited his other offers.

Here is a link to video highlights from his senior season.

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ISAAC MILLER – OL – Grey-shirt from the Class of 2014

Just the facts … Committed May 24, 2013 … Miller is an offensive tackle prospect from Longmont, Colorado. Miller is 6’ 7″, 250-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio Hudl video highlights

What others say about Miller … Miller was rated as a three-star offensive lineman by both Scout and Rivals. Miller was rated by Rivals as the No. 8 prospect out of the state of Colorado out of the Recruiting Class of 2014, while Scout had Miller rated as the No. 95 offensive tackle in the nation. Other accolades: All Region First Team bocopreps.com … All State First Team 3A Denver Post … All State First Team 3A CHSCA, Academic All State … Number 15 rated overall junior by ColoradoPrepReport.com.

Miller had a 4.2 GPA, so qualifying was never an issue. “I’m extremely excited for Isaac for a lot of reasons,” Raptors head coach Mike Apodaca told the Daily Camera when Miller committed. “One, he can concentrate now on his senior year, both academically and athletically. That’s a great thing when you have that out of the way. And I’m excited for Isaac to be close, to be honest.”

Miller had other offers from … Washington State, Wyoming, New Mexico State and Northern Colorado. Miller also took unofficial visits to Michigan State and Purdue. Arizona State was also reportedly interested in Miller’s services. Miller was in Boulder for Junior Day in the spring of 2013, and received his first scholarship offer from the Buffs. “Every coach went out of their way to introduce themselves and tell you what they were about,” Miller told ColoradoPrepReport that March. “I appreciated that a lot.”

In his own words … “I’m pretty fired up about being a Buff,” Miller told BuffPlayBook.com. “I called Coach MacIntyre this morning, he was very excited to have me as a member of his football family.”

What did Coach MacIntyre say to Miller when he received the news? “He sounded very excited,” Miller said. “He asked me if both of my feet were in the Colorado boat. He doesn’t rush a commitment, but once you make a pledge he wants to make sure that I’m completely committed to him and his football program. I’m completely committed to being a Buff”.

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Tim Lynott – OL

Just the facts … Committed June 28th … Lynott is a 6’4″, 295-pound offensive lineman from Aurora, Colorado  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Lynott … Lynott is rated by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. Rivals rates Lynott as the No. 3 prospect out of the state of Colorado this season, and the No. 47 offensive tackle in the nation. Scout, meanwhile, places Lynott as the fourth-best offensive guard in the West, and the No. 23 offensive guard in the nation. Lynott is one of only two players from the state of Colorado from this recruiting cycle to make the ESPN Top 300 (No. 274).

An All-Colorado selection following his senior season, Lynott helped Regis Jesuit to a Continental North League championship and two playoff wins. The Raiders fell to eventual 5A state champs Cherry Creek in the semifinals. In 2013, Lynott helped lead the Raiders to a 9-2 and a conference title.

“Lynott, who plays right tackle for Regis, is a nasty run blocker who manhandles opponents when he gets his hands on them,” said PrepColorado.com Publisher Jeff Stroud. “Lynott has an explosive first step and moves well when pulling. His athleticism is further evidenced by his ability to get to backers and finish blocks. Although currently a tackle, Lynott’s skill set seems suited to a move inside as guard is his most likely college position.”

Here is a link to Lynott’s junior season highlights from Hudl.com.

Lynott had other offers from …  all over the country, which is great news for Buff fans. Lynott had offers from much of the Pac-12, including Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA, Oregon State and Washington State, as well as the likes of Miami, Penn State and Kansas State across the country, and Colorado State and Wyoming locally. Lynott attended a Penn State camp last summer, attended Junior Days this spring at both CU and CSU, and took unofficial visits to Arizona State, Oregon, and Oregon State before committing to the Buffs.

In his own words … Upon his commitment, Lynott tweeted, “I’m proud to say that I’ve decided to stay home and play football for the University of Colorado #GoBuffs”.

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Aaron Haigler – OL

Just the facts … Committed August 17th … Aaron Haigler is a 6’7″, 250-pound offensive lineman from Sherman Oaks, California. He can bench 225 and squat 350 lbs. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Haigler … Haigler was rated as a three star prospect by both Rivals and Scout (with Scout rating him as a tight end, though Haigler will play tackle for Colorado). Haigler was also a three-star player on at least one other list, at 247Sports.

Haigler played for the Notre Dame Knights in Sherman Oaks, a private school with a strong history in football, including a Sierra League championship in 2013. Haigler played both tight end and defensive end for Notre Dame in 2013, but concentrated on the offensive side of the ball this past fall. Haigler also plays center for the Knights in basketball.

Haigler had other offers from … Iowa State, Utah State, San Jose State and Northern Arizona. Haigler was also reported interest from Washington, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Minnesota.

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LEO JACKSON III – DL – Junior college transfer

Just the facts … Signed March 22nd … Jackson is already a Buff, but may have been forgotten by many Buff fans, as he signed with Colorado in March, two months after Signing Day. Jackson is a defensive lineman prospect from Decatur, Georgia. Jackson is 6’4″, 260-pounds  Rivals bio

What others say about Jackson … Jackson was unrated out of high school as a member of the Recruiting Class of 2013, and, though a full-qualifier, did not sign with a four-year college out of high school. Instead, Jackson played the 2013 season at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California. This past season, for the 2-8 Owls (playing in eight of those games), Jackson had 24 tackles and two sacks.

Jackson will enroll in January, and will have four years left to play three.

Mike MacIntyre and Foothill College … This is not the first time Mike MacIntyre and Co. have looked to Foothill College for help. In 2011, MacIntyre picked up three players from Foothill College, including offensive lineman John Meyer, who went on to become a three-year starter for San Jose State. Over the past few seasons, players from Foothill College have been signed by a number of schools, including: Oregon State; BYU, Louisiana Tech; Hawai’i; Nevada; Boise State; Utah State; and Indiana.

Here is a link to Jackson’s Hudl highlights from this past season

Here are YouTube highlights of Jackson in action in high school:

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NATHANIEL “BLAKE” ROBBINS – DL – Junior college transfer

Just the facts … Committed October 1st … Robbins is a 6’5″, 260-pound defensive end, coming to Colorado from a junior college, Georgia Military College, in Milledgeville, Georgia  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Robbins … Robbins is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals; but only a two-star prospect by Scout. Robbins will have three years to play two at Colorado.

Out of high school, in Aiken, South Carolina, Robbins was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2013. With only one year of playing experience in high school, Robbins was an unrated prospect.  Still, in his senior year in Aiken, Robbins recorded 63 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and six sacks. His efforts earned him High School Sports Report Division II-AA All-State honors. Robbins was also a basketball standout for the Bulldogs. His only offer out of high school, though, was from Charleston Southern, which he accepted. Robbins did not become a Buccaneer, however, falling short on his ACT’s (if he had, he would have played against the Buffs in 2013 when the Buffs took on the Buccaneers in a replacement game). Instead, Robbins enrolled at Georgia Military College, and played as a true freshman in 2012, and as a true sophomore this fall.

Robbins had other offers from … As noted, only Charleston Southern coming out of high school. As a junior college prospect, Robbins had offers from South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, and Tennessee State.

Here is a link to the Hudl.com video highlights for Robbins.

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 JORDAN CARRELL – DL – Junior College Transfer

Just the facts … Committed November 13th … Carrell is a 6’3″, 275-pound defensive tackle playing at American River Community College in Sacramento, California. Carrell is on pace to finish his two-year degree in December, and will have three years to play two at Colorado  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Carrell … Carrell is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, but a two-star prospect by Scout. Carrell led the Beavers with eight sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss while posting 58 tackles, as American River went 10-2 this fall. For his efforts, Carrell was named the Northern California Football Conference defensive MVP. Head coach Jon Osterhout said that Carrell deserves the award. “He’s a tremendous player for us and an intricate player on the team,” Osterhout told The Current. “He’s a worker, loves the weight room, loves practice, (and) does well in the classroom.” He was chosen by a unanimous decision as a first team all conference player. They then sent him for consideration at the NorCal conference where other coaches voted to make him the defensive MVP. “I won this award because of my prep for the season. I didn’t take any time off and tried to be at the top in everything,” said Carrell.

“He’s been here for two years (and) has taken all of the steps necessary to be a tremendous football player,” said Osterhout. “(Carrell) is going to be a great player for the Buffaloes. He has a high football IQ and loves the game. He’s only going to get better. He’s a football player in the purest sense.”

As a freshman in 2013, Carrell had a solid season, racking up 30 tackles, four sacks, 10 tackles-for-loss, two fumble recoveries, an interception, four pass breakups and one blocked field goal.

Carrell had other offers from … Idaho, Cal Poly, Florida A&M, Northern Arizona and UC-Davis. No Power-Five conference offers, and only one FBS offer. Carrell took only one official visit, and that was to Colorado. Offensive lineman Sully Wiefels, who transferred to Colorado last December, was a teammate of Carrell’s at American River Community College in 2013.

In his own words … Carrell enjoyed a solid prep career at Roseville (Ca.) High School, but he was unable to get qualified for a scholarship to a four-year program.  “I actually took a year off from football because I had a broken bone in my wrist and during that time I decided to come here to American River,” Carrell told JCFootball.com this past summer. “I grew up with coach (Jon) Osterhout’s son and figured it would be a good place for me to be and it’s turning out to be a good move for me. I’m learning a lot and I think it’s getting me ready for the next level.

“I’m probably more of a run-stopper because my best attribute is my physical play,” Carrell noted. “My explosion off the ball is pretty good and that’s something that really helps me. This offseason, my big focus has been working on my strength and my overall Football I.Q. In high school, I mainly played offensive line, I was a center, so last year was really my first year of just concentrating on defensive line and I think it’s really going to help me now that I am just focusing on defense.”

Here is a link to the Hudl.com highlights for Carrell.

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Frank Umu – DL

Just the facts … Committed December 4th … Umu is a 6’5″, 275-pound defensive lineman from Heritage high in Littleton, Colorado. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Umu … Umu is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals; a two-star prospect by Scout. Umu is rated as the No. 6 player out of the state of Colorado by Rivals. This past season, playing for the 7-4 Heritage Eagles, Umu had 81 tackles (55 solo), including 16 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and 12 quarterback hurries.

Umu had other offers from … Most notably, Colorado State. Umu committed to the Rams in August, but he de-committed a week before committing to the Buffs. The fact that Umu committed to Colorado the day CSU head coach Jim McElwain became the new head coach at Florida could have been coincidence, or the deciding factor. Umu did have offers from Eastern Washington and Weber State, and likely would have received other offers had he not committed so early.

Here is a link to Umu’s highlights from his junior and senior seasons.

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Brett Tonz – DL

Just the facts … Committed July 30th … Brett Tonz is a 6’3″, 265-pound defensive lineman from Peoria, Arizona Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Tonz … Tonz is considered to be a two-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, with Scout rating Tonz as the No. 4 defensive tackle prospect out of the state of Arizona. Tonz was listed as an honorable mention in the 24-7 Sports All Classes All-State team. This past season, for the 12-2 Centennial Coyotes, Tonz had 45 tackles (30 solo), with seven tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and 21 quarterback hurries. Last summer, the Arizona Republic rated Tonz as the No. 65 player overall out of the state of Arizona this year, noting that Tonz is “still growing. Has gotten faster and stronger”… by the end of the season, the Arizona Republic had him in their top 20.

Scout.com’s thoughts: “Tonz is a versatile lineman. He plays defensive end in Centennial’s three man front but has the frame to bulk up and be a defensive tackle. I also think that Tonz could be an excellent interior offensive lineman if the d-line doesn’t work out”.

He earned first-team All-State honors from the AzFCA (Arizona Football Coaches Association) on defense, and earned first-team Division II-Section III honors on both offense and defense (he made the All-Arizona Team for Division II).

Tonz had other offers from … Air Force (so not an academic risk, with a 3.3 GPA and a 17 on the ACT), San Diego, UC-Davis, and some other lower division schools.

In his own words … from Scout.com: Tonz says that his performance at CU’s remote camp in Redlands, California, this past summer was what earned him his scholarship. Despite not visiting Boulder in a few years, he was not nervous about committing in July before his senior year. “When I got the offer, I wanted to commit,” he says. “But I talked it over with my parents and my coaches and everyone approved. I am happy that I get to focus on my senior year.”

Here is a link to the Hudl.com senior year highlights form Brett Tonz.

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Lyle Tuiloma – DL

Just the facts … Committed August 26th … Lyle Tuiloma is a 6’3″, 285-pound defensive lineman from Waianae, Hawai’i Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Tuiloma … Tuiloma is rated by both Rivals and Scout as a two-star prospect, but does have a great upside, as Tuiloma has bulked up considerably. He is now listed as being 285 pounds, while on the MaxPreps website, he reportedly played as a junior at linebacker at 240 pounds. His Golden Hawks team went 10-2 this past season, but was only ranked as the No. 23 team in the state of Hawai’i in 2014. Nanakuli is in an area with high poverty and has low graduation rates (On the MaxPreps website, Tuiloma was the only player on the roster with a profile).

Despite the drawbacks, Scout.com writer Doug Kimmel believes CU has found a gem. “Tuiloma is a 6’2 1/2 285 pounds explosive athlete. He plays basketball, does track and field, and plays on both sides of the ball in football. Tuiloma is tough against the run, but also has some good pass rush moves and is able to get to the quarterback. He is raw on defense, due to the fact that he only really played on the offensive line before he worked with the Colorado coaching staff at the PIAA camp. The Buffalo coaching staff saw a defensive tackle in Tuiloma and once he made the switch, he dominated the competition.

“Once he is working out with a Colorado’s strength and conditioning staff, eating a proper diet, and being coached by a D1 staff, look out. He has a high ceiling and is just beginning to scratch the surface”.

Tuiloma had other offers from … no other school. Part of it was perhaps to his early commitment. Part of it may have had to do with his not being a stellar junior, and an “under the radar” recruit. Part of it may have had to do with the school not being a highly recruited area. We’ll see …

In his own words (as posted on his high school website) …  “My name is Lyle ieakopo keoni Tuiloma. I like to surf on my free time , I also like to play football. If you haven’t noticed I’m a really nice person. I like to help others if I know what I’m doing. As you can see my favorite pro surfer is Kelly Slater. This is my second plan in life. If I don’t make it to the professional football I’m going to be a surfer”.

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GRANT WATANABE – ILB – Grey-shirt from the Class of 2014

Just the facts … Committed May 29, 2013 … Watanabe is an inside linebacker prospect from San Antonio, Texas. Watanabe played at 5’10”, 225-pounds. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Watanabe … Watanabe was rated as a three-star linebacker by both Rivals and Scout. Watanabe was named the Defensive Player of the Year in San Antonio in 2012 after he recorded 167 tackles, 27 for a loss, three sacks and four interceptions. He was also a junior All-American, first-team all-state, first-team all-city and unanimous first-team all-district selection. Grant’s older brother, Ethan Watanabe, is a tight end at Hawai’i. Watanabe has two uncles that played collegiately at BYU. And he currently has three relatives playing in the NFL: cousin Stanley Havili plays fullback for the Indianapolis Colts, uncle Tony Moeaki plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and second cousin Paul Soliai plays defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins … impressive lineage.

Watanabe had other offers from … only Utah, though there was considerable interest in Watanabe after his junior season. Watanabe was in Colorado before touring the state of Texas, taking in a UTSA practice, visiting SMU, and then attending Baylor’s spring game. The athlete visited SMU the following day before heading to the Dallas Nike Football Training Camp. Watanabe also tripped to Boise State and Utah.

In his own words … “I play with passion,” Watanabe told BroncoCountry.com. “To play linebacker you have to have passion, intensity, and football smarts”.

You Tube highlights (he may not be big, but he can hit, and he has a nose for the ball):

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N.J. Falo – OLB

Just the facts … Committed January 23rd … Falo is 6’2″, 225-pound linebacker prospect from Sacramento, California  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Falo … Falo is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals has Falo listed as the No. 80 player out of the state of California for the Class of 2015, and the No. 51 outside linebacker in the nation. Scout sees Falo as the No. 10 outside linebacker in the state of California, the No. 13 outside linebacker in the west, and the No. 82 outside linebacker nationally.

This past season, Falo had 50 tackles (32 solo) for the 12-2 Inderkum Tigers. Falo also had four sacks, an interception, and caused five fumbles. Falo also played some tight end, with three receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.

In 2013, as a junior, Falo had 31 tackles (21 solo) as the Tigers went 10-3. As a tight end he had three catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. “He didn’t have a ton of stats”, Inderkum head coach Terry Stark told the Daily Camera of Falo’s junior season. “What he was for us was a very physical, blocking tight end … had a few catches, and a real physical guy playing up against the tight end on the other side”.

At the Nike Football Training Camp last summer, Falo made the All-Underclass team, with Scout.com having this to say about Falo: “Falo could play outside linebacker or defensive end and worked out with the  defensive lineman and was one of the more impressive looking players.  Has  good size and quickness and a high football IQ”.

Falo had other offers from … Eastern Washington, Cal Poly, and Northern Colorado, though last summer Falo claimed he had interest from UCLA, Michigan, and USC. The first commit of the CU Recruiting Class of 2015, Falo would likely have received more offers had he not been committed to CU since last January.

In his own words … “I’ve known them (coach Mike MacIntyre, along with assistant coaches Klayton Adams and Brian Lindgren) ever since my brother’s senior year, so 2011. For me it means a lot (to commit). Mainly the staff made me want to make the decision,” Falo told the Daily Camera. “I know what they’ve done with their football squad and I’ve seen what they’ve done with people individually, as in, speaking of my brother”. Falo’s brother is Nathan Falo, a three-star offensive guard from the Recruiting Class of 2011. Nathan had offers from schools like Colorado State, Washington State, and Oregon State, but chose to stay close to home with San Jose State and Mike MacIntyre. “I talked to (Nathan) the night before committing”, said N.J. Falo. “He’s very excited for me, he’s proud of me. He knows I’m gonna do big things. He knows they’re the right staff for me and he knows they’ll take care of me. Obviously he’s been through it, he knows what it is.”

Here is a link to Falo’s Hudl.com senior year highlights.

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AFOLABI LAGUDA – DB – Junior College Transfer

Committed December 15th … Laguda is a 6’2″, 200-pound defensive back coming to CU from Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. Laguda reportedly a runs a 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Laguda … Laguda is a two-star prospect according to Scout, but was unrated by Rivals at the time of his commitment. Laguda was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2013, playing for Brookwood high in Snellville, Georgia, and will have three years to play two. Laguda played safety for Butler County C.C. the past two seasons, but his position at CU is yet to be determined.

Laguda had other offers from … Utah State, North Dakota, Eastern Michigan and Georgia State, with interest from California, Washington, and Illinois.

In his own words … “Colorado talks to me everyday,” Laguda told Scout.com the week before his commitment. “Coach MacIntyre, the head coach, calls me weekly. My recruiting coordinator is Coach Walters and we talk every day. If we don’t, something is wrong. We talk all the time and they’ve really showed big interest in me.”

“They’re a team on the rise,” Laguda added. “I know they used to be a powerhouse in the 1990’s. Coach MacIntyre is going to do great things with that program.”

Here is a link to Laguda’s Hudl.com video highlights.

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Nick Fisher – DB

Just the facts … Committed September 21st … Fisher is a 6’1″, 185-pound athlete from Temecula, California Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Fisher … Fisher is listed as a three-star athlete by Rivals, and a three-star cornerback by Scout. According to Scout, Fisher is the 27th-best cornerback out of the state of California this year, the No. 30 cornerback in the west, and the No. 153 cornerback nationally.

This past fall, Fisher had 44 tackles (34 solo), with three interceptions and a tackle for loss. On offense, Fisher had 100 carries for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns for the 10-3 Great Oak Wolfpack.

As a junior, Fisher had 152 carries for 1,266 yards and 18 touchdowns. On defense, Fisher had 40 tackles and three interceptions. Fisher also runs track, with a 10.95 in the 100 meters. In addition, Fisher was a member of the 4 x 100 relay team that was the No.1 seed at the California state meet.

Fisher had other offers from … Wyoming, New Mexico State, as well as Northern Arizona and Sacramento State from the Big Sky Conference. Arizona State and Washington from the Pac-12 had interest in Fisher, but Fisher committed early and remained firm.

Here is a link to Fisher’s senior year Hudl.com highlights.

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Isaiah Oliver – DB

Just the facts … Committed December 9th … Oliver is a 6’0″, 175-pound defensive back from Phoenix, Arizona. Oliver runs a reported 4.55 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Oliver … Oliver is rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals, but a two-star player by Scout. Rivals considers Oliver to be the No. 16 player overall out of the state of Arizona this season. Oliver was a major factor in helping Brophy Prep to a 10-4 record this season, starring on both sides of the ball. On offense, Oliver had 50 receptions for 1,352 yards and 12 touchdowns, while on defense he posted 60 tackles and seven interceptions … Oliver had four carries on the season, going for 64 yards and two more touchdowns … He also had – wait for it – five blocked kicks! … While recruited as a defensive back, it’s worthy of note that Oliver broke the school record for all-time receiving record at Brophy Prep, a Phoenix powerhouse … 247Sports rates Oliver as its No. 29 player out of the state of Arizona, and the No. 162 “athlete” this year.

Oliver had other offers from … New Mexico.

Here is a Hudl.com link to highlights from Oliver’s senior season.

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Alex Kinney – Kicker/Punter

Just the facts … Committed July 9th … Alex Kinney is a 6’0″, 195-pound punter/kicker from Ft. Collins, Colorado  Rivals bio

What others say about Kinney … Kinney is rated by both Rivals and Scout as a three-star prospect. In Rivals.com’s list of the top 15 players out of the state of Colorado this fall, Kinney came in as the No. 5 player in the state.

Kinney earned All-Colorado and first-team All-State honors from the Denver Post, Mile High Sports Magazine and Six Zero Strength & Fitness as a senior, when he also garnered All-USA Colorado (USA Today/American Family Insurance) and first-team All-Front Range League recognition at both kicker and punter. Kinney made the prestigious Western 100 list compiled by the Tacoma News-Tribune (one of four specialists on the paper’s list).

Chris Sailer Kicking, an organization that runs nationwide camps, ranks Kinney third in the nation. A similar organization, Kohl’s Kicking, has Kinney as the fourth-best punter in the country. Kinney is by far the highest-ranked Colorado punting prospect. “He’s a great catch for CU,” said Rocky Mountain football coach Mark Brook told the Coloradoan. “He’s a very, very talented kicker and punter. He’s got a powerful leg, and a lot of schools were interested.”

Kinney had other offers from … no other known schools, though that was more due to Kinney being an early (last July) and solid commit. Of Kinney, Darragh O’Neill, CU’s four-year starter at punter, tweeted: “Great signing by the Buffs. Kinney is the real deal”.

Here is a link to highlights from Kinney’s senior season from Hudl.com.

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Tags: Aaron Baltazar, Aaron Haigler, Afolabi Laguda, Alex Kinney, Blake Robbins, Brett Tonz, Chris Bounds, Dillon Middlemiss, Donald Gordon, Frank Umu, Grant Watanabe, Isaac Miller, Isaiah Oliver, Jordan Carrell, Justin Jan, Leo Jackson III, Lyle Tuiloma, N.J. Falo, Nick Fisher, Patrick Carr, Steven Montez, Tim Lynott
This post, about the Recruiting - Class of 2015 game, from the 2015 Season, is filed under Article.
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