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Recruiting – Class of 2015

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February 3rd

Hockaday de-commits from CU, picks up “dream” commitment from Vanderbilt

Linebacker Jay Hockaday (bio below) has de-committed from Colorado, and has committed to play for Vanderbilt. Hockaday is from Nashville, home of the Commodores, and told Adam Sparks, who covers Vanderbilt for the Tennessean, that Vanderbilt was the only school for which he would have de-committed from Colorado.

CU fans can’t blame a player for wanting to play for his hometown school, and some might look at Hockaday’s resume (two-star prospect according to both Rivals and Scout) and say that the trade off for an open scholarship is addition by subtraction.

But Hockaday was one of only two linebacker recruits for CU this year, in a unit which is already perilously thin.

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Jay Hockaday – LB – De-committed

Committed December 18th … Hockaday is a 6’3″, 215-pound linebacker from Nashville, Tennessee. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Hockaday … Hockaday is rated as a two-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. One recruiting entity which did like Hockaday was 247Sports, which had Hockaday as a three-star player, the No. 33 inside linebacker in the nation. Hockaday reported a personal best of 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash, to go along with a 34″ vertical, and 275 pounds in the bench press. This past season, Hockaday helped lead the Christ Presbyterian Academy to a 15-0 record (the Lions were rated by MaxPreps as the No. 10 team in the state of Tennessee in 2014). He played some quarterback – only two passes all season, but 111 carries for 887 yards and 19 touchdowns. On defense, Hockaday had 95 tackles (79 solo), with three sacks and four tackles for loss.

Hockaday had other offers from … Navy (so we know he won’t be an academic risk), Furman, and Samford, with interest from schools like Missouri, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.

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

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. What is not certain (at least to me) is whether Baltazar would have to sit out a transfer year and have two years to play two, or whether he is eligible this fall, with three years to play three (it appears to be the latter, though we’ll have to wait for confirmation). 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.

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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January 23rd

Another CU commit re-opens his recruitment

Lausii “Boogie” Sewell, a defensive lineman from St. George, Utah, has become the second Colorado commit this week to re-open his commitment. Sewell tweeted, “I would like to announce that I’ve decided to open up my recruitment and decommit from the University of Colorado”.

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Lausii “Boogie” Sewell – DL – De-committed

Just the facts … Committed August 13th … Boogie Sewell is a 6’0″, 325-pound defensive lineman from St. George, Utah Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Sewell … Sewell is rated by Rivals and Scout as a two-star prospect. Last season, Sewell had 34 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions for Desert Hills high in St. George, Utah. Sewell was honored as an All-State and All-Region player, and was selected as his team’s defensive line MVP.

Scout.com had this to say about Sewell: “Best known as “Boogie”, the Desert Hills defensive tackle is nearly unblockable in the trenches. Sewell stands at 6′ 315 pounds, and his height may scare teams away, but he is a rottweiler at the line of scrimmage. Sewell was the most impressive nose tackle at All-Poly (summer camp) and it wasn’t very close. He can eat a lot of space and allow linebackers to make plays, but Sewell himself is very capable of making plays in the backfield. If he was 3 inches taller he’d have 25 offers. Somebody is going to steal a good defensive tackle in Boogie Sewell”.

Sewell had other offers from … Army, Buffalo, and three Big Sky Conference schools – Montana, Weber State, and Southern Utah. It should be noted that Sewell, like defensive end Sam Bennion from CU’s recruiting Class this past spring, may take a Mormon mission, and may not be available until January, 2017.

In his own words … From BuffPlaybook.com … “I’ll do whatever it takes to help my team win football games,” Sewell explained. “I pride myself on selling out for my teammates. I also pride myself on being able to move a lot faster than most guys my size. I can run a 4.9 40, and love chasing running backs down from behind. I never quit on a play, and that is something Colorado really likes about me.”

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January 21st

An early commit re-opens his recruitment

Adam at BuffStampede.com has sent out a tweet that one of the earliest commits of CU’s Class of 2015, defensive end T.J. Fehoko, has decided to reopen his recruitment. Fehoko committed to Colorado back in April, one of the first commits from this year’s Class, but continued to field offers. Fehoko has a cousin, defensive tackle Thomas Toki, who has committed to Washington State. Fehoko took an official visit to Pullman with his cousin in December.

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T.J. Fehoko – DE – De-committed

Just the facts … Committed April 21st … Fehoko is 6’1″, 245-pound weakside defensive end from Salt Lake City, Utah  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Fehoko … Fehokoa is rated by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. Rivals lists Fehoko as the No. 13 overall prospect out of the state of Utah, while Scout has him as the No. 3 defensive end from Utah, the No. 12 defensive end in the west, and the No. 86 defensive end in the nation.

– Senior year statistics (2014 season) … 21 sacks, with 44 quarterback hurries … 121 tackles (71 solo), including 34 tackles for loss. Fehoko also had 14 carries on offense as a fullback, going for 69 yards and three touchdowns … All this accomplished on a team which went 5-6 on the season.

– Junior year statistics (2013 season) … 34 sacks – Utah state season record (1st in nation ) … 7.5 sacks in a single game – a Utah state record … 100 tackles, including 20 tackles for loss … 41 quarterback hurries … seven forced fumbles … three blocked punts.

Honors … 2014 Utah Defensive Player-of-the-Year … 2013 and 2014 Deseret News 1st Team All-State … 2012 and 2013 Salt Lake City Tribune 1st Team All-State … 2012 Max-Prep 2nd Team All-American (Soph.) … 2012 Team Defensive MVP (as a sophomore).

Fehoko had other offers from … Oregon State and Utah from the Pac-12, as well as other BCS conference schools Pitt and Vanderbilt. Numerous other schools showed interest, and Fehoko took an official visit to Washington State in December.

In his own words … “Colorado likes me on the defensive line, which is where I feel best,” Fehoko told Scout.com when he committed. “I feel like that’s where I’m best and can impact the game the most. We discussed playing either defensive end or defensive tackle …I feel confident that I can have an impact as a freshman. I fully expect to do damage early in my career for the Buffaloes. I can’t wait to join the team next year and prove what I can do.”

Here are the Hudl.com highlights from Fehoko’s senior season.

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Jay Hockaday – LB

Committed December 18th … Hockaday is a 6’3″, 215-pound linebacker from Nashville, Tennessee. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Hockaday … Hockaday is rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals, and an unrated prospect by Scout. One recruiting entity which did like Hockaday was 247Sports, which had Hockaday as a three-star player, the No. 33 inside linebacker in the nation. Hockaday reported a personal best of 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash, to go along with a 34″ vertical, and 275 pounds in the bench press. This past season, Hockaday helped lead the Christ Presbyterian Academy to a 15-0 record (the Lions were rated by MaxPreps as the No. 10 team in the state of Tennessee in 2014). He played some quarterback – only two passes all season, but 111 carries for 887 yards and 19 touchdowns. On defense, Hockaday had 95 tackles (79 solo), with three sacks and four tackles for loss.

Hockaday had other offers from … Navy (so we know he won’t be an academic risk), Furman, and Samford, with interest from schools like Missouri, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.

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

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Afolabi Laguda – JC – DB

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.

Laguda tweet from his recruiting visit to Colorado:

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Isaiah Oliver – DB

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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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 two-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout …. Jan was certainly an “under the radar” prospect, after collecting five passes for 62 yards as a junior. This past season, however, Jan had 48 catches for 918 yards and 16 touchdowns in helping lead the Wolves to the Division 1 state title … One scout had this to say about Jan back in September, before his breakout season took off: “Doesn’t have the speed of the other receivers but has better size. Will go over the middle and was the Wolves’ best receiving threat” … According to 247Sports, Jan is the 229th-best wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 29 player overall out of Arizona this season … 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).”

Jan had other offers from … No listed schools, although UCLA and Utah State reportedly had interest.

In his own words … From azcentral.com … “I went on my visit this weekend, 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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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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Jordan Carrell – DL

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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Josiah Blandin – WR – JC transfer – De-committed on October 29th

De-committed  … on October 29th. Blandin posted the following on Twitter: “Officially de-committed from Colorado. I trust God’s Plan!”. Blandin also sent out the following message on Instagram: “My commitment is no longer solid with the University of Colorado, it’s for right reasoning. I want to keep my options open. Colorado is a great school, and will continue to stay at the top of my list, but I’m looking forward to taking trips and see what’s best for me as a young man!”.

Just the facts … Committed July 8th … Josiah Blandin is a 6’5″, 205-pound wide receiver who is a junior college transfer from Long Beach Community College, Long Beach, California. Blandin will play for Long Beach this fall, and enroll at Colorado in January, starting in 2015. He will have two years to play two at Colorado. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Blandin … Blandin is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, a two-star prospect by Scout. Last fall, at Long Beach Community College, Blandin played in eight games, collecting 41 catches for 627 yards and four touchdowns. In Rivals junior college preseason rankings, Blandin is rated as the No. 87 junior college player in the nation.

Blandin had other offers from … Illinois, Utah and UAB, and was receiving interest from USC. Blandin was a three-star recruit from the Class of 2012, and was considered at that time by Rivals to be the No. 89 wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 80 player overall out of the State of California (Scout had him as the No. 114 wide receiver recruit nationally from that Class). Blandin signed with Arizona State, committing to the Sun Devils over offers from a number of other schools, including Colorado, Hawai’i, Nevada and Oregon State.

Blandin sat out the 2012 season as a red-shirt, and then left the school when there was a coaching change. After his red-shirt freshman season, there was speculation that Blandin would sign with Utah, as the Arizona State coach who had recruited him to Tempe, Dennis Erickson, is now an assistant coach for the Utes. “(Dennis Erickson) at Utah is important to me,” Blandin told UtesSportsReport.com in May. “They have a great school and are in a great conference. The team really throws the ball around a lot, but Coach Erickson being there is what stands out the most to me”. Instead, Blandin is bringing his talents to Boulder, and will be eligible to play for the Buffs in the 2015 and 2016 seasons.

For those concerned about junior college transfers qualifying at CU, Blandin told 247Sports.com in May that he was in good academic standing, and was on pace to graduate in December, which would allow him to enroll at Colorado next January and participate in spring drills.

Here is a link to Blandin’s 2013 highlight video from Hudl.com.

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Nathaniel “Blake” Robbins – DL (Junior College)

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

What others say about Robbins … Robbins was an unrated prospect out of Aiken, South Carolina, with only one year of playing experience. 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 last fall). Instead, Robbins enrolled at Georgia Military College, and played as a true freshman in 2012, and as a true sophomore this fall. If, as planned, Robbins moves to Colorado this January, he will have three years to play two in Boulder.

Robbins had other offers from … As noted, only Charleston Southern coming out of high school. So far this recruiting cycle, Robbins has offers from South Alabama, Southern Mississippi, and Tennessee State.

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

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Donald Gordon – Running Back

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 was not rated by either Rivals or Scout at the time of his commitment. but was a four-star prospect according to ESPN. Two days after his commitment, Gordon’s rating at Rivals was upgraded to three-stars. Even that improved rating, though, might be raised again, if Gordon can repeat the numbers he posted in his first game for Milliken high this fall: 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 … San Jose State. But, as you can imagine, if Gordon continues his fine play, that list of suitors is bound to increase. So, for this recruit, it may not be the lack of stars which will be the concern … but whether Colorado will be able to hang on to his commitment through to Signing Day in February.

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, but Millikan is off to a 4-1 start this fall.

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Chris Bounds – Tight End/Defensive End

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 both Rivals and Scout. In his junior year (in which he played only five games), Bounds had seven catches for 69 yards on offense. As a defensive end, Bounds was an all-league honoree in both 2012 and 2013. In helping Chaminade to a 4-0 record so far this season, has one catch for 18 yards, to go with 14 tackles. According to MaxPreps, Chaminade is currently ranked the No. 9 team in the state of California, and the No. 41 team in the nation.

Bounds had other offers from … No known schools. 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 redshirt freshman wide receiver Elijah Dunston, freshman wide receiver Donovan Lee and frshman linebacker Rick Gamboa.

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Nick Fisher – Defensive Back

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 an unrated athlete by Rivals, a two-star running back by Scout (though Fisher is being recruited as a defensive back by Colorado). 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.

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

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Lyle Tuiloma – Defensive Lineman

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 was unrated by either Rivals or Scout at the time of his commitment. Apparently, Tuiloma has bulked up considerably. He is listed by Scout as being 285 pounds, while on the MaxPreps website, he reportedly played as a junior at linebacker at 240 pounds.

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 have’nt notice i’m a really nice person. I like to help others if i know what im 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”.

Here are YouTube highlights showing Tuiloma going through agility drills:

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Aaron Haigler – Offensive lineman

Just the facts … Committed August 17th … Aaron Haigler is a 6’7″, 240-pound tight end from Sherman Oaks, California Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Haigler … Haigler was unrated by Rivals at the time of his commitment, but was listed as a two-star prospect by Scout. Haigler is a three-star player on at least one list, at 247Sports. Haigler plays 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 last fall, but is expected to concentrate on the offensive side of the ball this fall. Haigler also played center for the Knights in basketball last winter.

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

Here are Haigler’s YouTube highlights from his junior season:

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Brett Tonz – Defensive Lineman

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 in the state (Scout also listed Tonz as a “riser” – just out of the top ten on its list – for the state’s best offensive linemen).

The Arizona Republic rated Tonz as the No. 65 player overall out of the state of Arizona this year, noting that Tonz is “stil growing. Has gotten faster and stronger since the end of last season. Starting to rise on college coaches’ boards”. As a junior, Tonz had only 25 total tackles, but did have 6.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries for a 10-2 Centennial high team which was ranked ninth in the state of Arizona in 2013. This spring, Centennial coach Richard Taylor told azcentral.com that he plans to move Tonz from the edge to the interior defensive line this fall. Even back in March, Taylor was betting on Tonz committing to Colorado. “I think he’ll be better there,” Taylor said. “(Colorado line coach Gary) Bernardi loves him.”

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”.

Tonz had other offers from … Air Force (so not an academic risk, with a 3.3 GPA and a 17 on the ACT), 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, CA is what earned him his scholarship and despite not visiting Boulder in a few years, he was not nervous about committing. “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 Hudl.com highlights from his junior season.

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Alex Kinney – 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 unrated by Rivals and Scout. Kinney did rate as the No. 12 player in the Rivals.com list of top 15 recruits out of the state of Colorado in this year’s Class. Last season, Kinney connected on 11-of-15 field goal attempts for Rocky Mountain high in Ft. Collins, with a long of 51 yards. His punts went for an average of 37.07 yards, with a long of 63 yards.

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. With Darragh O’Neill, who will become a four-year starter this fall, departing, punter is a position of need for Colorado. Of Kinney, O’Neill tweeted: “Great signing by the Buffs. Kinney is the real deal”.

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

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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, while Scout places Lynott as the No. 24 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). Lynott helped lead the Regis Jesuit Raiders to a 9-2 and a conference title last fall. He has already been invited to play in the Army All-American Bowl at the end of his senior season.

“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”.

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. 10 quarterback out of the state of Texas, the No. 13 quarterback in the Midlands, and the No. 66 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 only being a two-star prospect).

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 competitio

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Dillon Middlemiss – OL

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 was unrated by either Rivals or Scout at the time of his commitment to Buffs during the CU Spring Game. Last season, Middlemiss helped Pomona Panthers rack up nearly 3,600 yards rushing and almost 400 points on their way to a 9-3 record.

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.

Here is link to Hudl.com highlights of Middlemiss from his junior season.

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N.J. Falo – LB

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. 72 player out of the state of California for the Class of 2015. In 2013, as a junior, Falo had 31 tackles (21 solo) for the 10-3 Inderkum Tigers. Falo also played tight end, with 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.

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.”

Highlights from Falo’s junior season are available on Hudl.com, and can be linked here.

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Tags: Aaron Baltazar, Aaron Haigler, Afolabi Laguda, Alex Kinney, Brett Tonz, Chris Bounds, Dillon Middlemiss, Donald Gordon, Frank Umu, Isaiah Oliver, Jay Hockaday, Jordan Carrell, Josiah Blandin, Justin Jan, Lausii "Boogie" Sewell, Lyle Tuiloma, N.J. Falo, Nathaniel Robbins, Nick Fisher, Steven Montez, T.J. Fehoko, Tim Lynott
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