Recruiting Class of 2020

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Colorado Recruiting Class of 2020

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CU Recruiting Class of 2020

Recruits by position … Quarterbacks: 1 … Running backs: 1 … Wide receivers: 3 … Tight ends: 2 … Offensive linemen: 3 … Defensive linemen: 5 … Linebackers: 3 … Defensive backs: 4 … Punters: 1

Recruits are from … Colorado: 2 … Texas: 6 … California: 5 … Mississippi: 1  … Georgia: 2 … Florida: 2 … Massachusetts: 1 … Arizona: 1 … New Jersey: 1 … Louisiana: 1 … Australia: 1

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Julius Coates – DL – Junior College

De-committed December 6th … Tweet from Coates … “I have decided to decommit from The University of Colorado. I would like to thank Coach Tucker , Coach Brumbaugh and the rest of the staff in Boulder for this opportunity.”

Note … When Coates committed to Colorado two months ago, he was not rated by either service, and had offers from Western Kentucky, Akron, and New Mexico. After Coates committed in October, Coates received offers from Oregon, Nebraska, Arkansas, Maryland and Kansas State. He is now considered to be a three-star prospect by 247 Sports; a two-star prospect by Rivals.

Just the facts … Committed October 4th … Coates is 6’7″, 270-pound defensive end from Scooba, Mississippi, by way of East Mississippi Community College Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Coates … Coates is not rated by either Rivals or 247 sports. Originally from Rockford, Ill., Coates played tight end as a freshman at Ellsworth Community College before transferring to East Mississippi Community College, where he has transitioned into more of a defensive player. He has recorded three sacks through six games as a sophomore.

Coates will have three years to play two, and is scheduled to enroll in January and be available for spring practices.

Coates had other offers from … a handful of schools, including Akron, New Mexico, and Western Kentucky. While that is not a particularly impressive list, defensive line is an area of immediate need for Colorado, so a 6’7″, 270-pound prospect who can be available to face Pac-12 competition in 2020 is welcome.

Here is a link to Coates’ Hudl.com highlights

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Mister Williams – LB

Just the facts … Committed December 3rd … Williams is a 6’2″, 230-pound linebacker from Westlake Village, California  Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Williams … Williams is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. Rivals ranks Williams as the No. 64 overall prospect out of the state of California, while at 247 Sports, Williams is considered to be the No. 58 outside linebacker in the nation, the No. 74 overall player out of California, and the No. 788 player overall in the nation.

Williams had other offers from … a number of Power-Five conference schools, including Cal, UCLA, and Washington State from the Pac-12. Other offers came from national powers Ohio State and LSU, along with Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas State and Boise State.

In his own words … From Williams’ tweet announcing his decision: “I want to thank all of my coaches, especially Coach Collins, Coach Moore, and Coach Mendoza. They have helped me not only as a football player, but most importantly helped me become a better man, as well as everyone who helped me on my journey to get to this point. At the end of the day, for the next 4 years I am extremely proud to say I will continue my academic and athletic career at the UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO #SkoBuffs”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

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Joe Perkins – DB

De-committed (for the second time) December 1st … Perkins tweet: “I want to thank Coach Mel Tucker and the entire Colorado football staff for giving me the opportunity to play for a great school, and for all the fans that have supported me. After much talk and prayer with my parents, it is in my best interest to decommit from the University of Colorado. My recruitment is now 100% open”. 

Re-committed July 15th … Perkins tweet: After much prayer, conversations with my parents, and talking with the University of Colorado Coaching Staff, I am recommitting to the University of Colorado. Thank you coach Coach Tucker and Coach Summers for giving me this opportunity. I am 100% committed to the University of Colorado. #Go Buffs! #RELENTLESS

“I sat down and talked about it with my parents, prayed on it… Colorado is a special place,” Perkins told BuffStampede.com. “I feel like I can go there as a player and as a young man, develop, and succeed. I believe in (Buffaloes head) coach (Mel) Tucker and his plan for their program and I want to be a part of it.”

De-committed June 24th … Perkins tweet: After a long talk with my parents and much prayer, I have decided to de-commit from the University of Colorado. I still believe that Colorado could be a great place for me and I believe in Coach Tucker and his staff. My decision is strictly about me wanting to be absolutely certain about the first big decision of my life. I hope and pray that my decision is respected. With that being said, my recruitment is open. Thank you. 

Just the facts … Originally committed May 5th … Perkins is a 6’1″, 195-pound athlete from Madison, Mississippi  Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Perkins … Perkins is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. Rivals rates Perkins as the No. 29 overall athlete out of the state of Mississippi. At 247 Sports, Perkins is listed as the No. 113 safety in the nation, the No. 40 player overall out of Mississippi, and the No. 1,657 overall player in the country.

Perkins plays both receiver and defensive back for Madison-Ridgeland Academy, but is being recruited at CU as a defensive back. Last season, Perkins had 53 tackles, four interceptions, four pass break ups and two fumble involvements. He finished the 2018 season rated as an All-State defensive back.

Perkins had other offers from … over a dozen other schools, including Louisville, Army and Navy (so we know that qualifying will not be an issue). A number of SEC schools, including Arkansas, Mississippi State and Mississippi showed interest, which may have led to Perkins wavering in his commitment.

Here is a link to his junior season highlights.

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Montana Lemonious-Craig – WR

Just the facts … Committed November 29th … Lemonious-Craig is a 6’2″, 185-pound wide receiver from Inglewood, California Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Lemonious-Craig … Lemonious-Craig is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Lemonious-Craig is listed as the No. 88 overall prospect out of the state of California this season. At 247 Sports, Lemonious-Craig is seen as the No. 53 athlete in the nation, the No. 82 overall prospect out of California, and the No. 800 overall prospect in the nation.

Lemonious-Craig had an impressive season on both sides of the ball. At wide receiver, he had 41 receptions for 1,227 yards (29.9 yards/catch) and 21 touchdowns. He added 60 tackles and six interceptions from his safety position. Lemonious-Craig is able to play on both sides of the ball, but is being recruited as a wide receiver.

Lemonious-Craig had other offers from … over a dozen schools, including Arizona from the Pac-12. Lemonious-Craig also had offers from Auburn and BYU, and a number of Mountain West schools, including Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Utah State.

“(Coach Mel Tucker) keeps it real,” Lemonious-Craig told CUSportsNation. “He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He wants to get you to the next level after college and that’s the goal. He wants to win — I want to win, too. Coach Tucker’s building that program up there and there’s just going to be great things happening up there at Colorado…the thing about coach Chev is that he knows what he’s talking about — he knows football.”

In his own words … Lemonius-Craig announced his commitment with a two-minute video on Twitter, which can be found here.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlight video.

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Jayle Stacks – RB

Just the facts … Committed November 25th … Stacks is a 6’0″, 225-pound running back pfrom Cherry Creek high school in Denver Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Stacks … Stacks is considered to be a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, but only a two-star prospect by Rivals. At 247, Stacks is rated as the No. 97 running back in the country, the No. 11 overall prospect out of the state of Colorado, and the No. 1582 player nationally. This fall, for 12-0 Cherry Creek (which as of Stacks’ commitment date, had advanced to the state semi-finals), Stacks has had 96 carries for 941 yards (a 9.8 yards/carry average), with 14 touchdowns. Stacks also has 14 receptions for 196 yards and five more touchdowns. In his high school career, Stacks has rushed for 2,783 yards and 38 touchdowns, with 268 yards and seven touchdowns receiving.

Stacks had other offers from … most notably, Air Force. Stacks was an Falcon commit from September 2nd to November 25th. Stacks also had offers from Wyoming and Colorado State, with interest expressed by schools like Utah and Kansas State.

In his own words … From his tweet announcing his change in commitment: “After deep thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to decommit from the United States Air Force Academy … I had the opportunity to meet with Coach Tucker and his team at CU. It’s with great enthusiasm, honor, humility and gratitude that I announce my commitment to the University of Colorado, I’m beyond thrilled at the idea of me being a part of this elite team. I wholeheartedly believe that CU will focus on developing my goals individually, academically, professionally and athletically. Go Buffs!”

Here is a link to 247 Sports highlights

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Jordan Berry – DL

Just the facts … Committed November 24th … Berry is a 6’3″, 305-pound defensive lineman from Harbor City, California Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Berry … Berry is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Berry is rated as the No. 50 defensive tackle in the nation, and the No. 59 overall player out of the state of California. At 247 Sports, Berry is considered to be the No. 60 defensive tackle in the country, the No. 66 player overall out of California, and the No. 728 overall player in the nation.

Berry had other offers from … almost a dozen Power-Five conference schools, including over half of the Pac-12. Berry had offers from Oregon, USC, Arizona, Utah, UCLA, and Oregon State. Other offers came from schools like Georgia, LSU, Florida and Boston College. Berry committed to LSU on February 16th, and kept that commitment until October 10th. Berry took his official visit to Colorado on November 8th for the Stanford game.

In his own words … “Coach Tucker is a cool, cool dude,” Berry told CUSportsNation after his official visit to Colorado. “He said he’s been recruiting me ever since he came to Colorado. I spent time with him over the weekend, me and my mom and my uncle — I felt at home with him and the whole staff. I felt loved. It felt like a bond, like I was supposed to be there.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

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Christian Gonzalez – DB

Just the facts … Committed November 18th … Gonzalez is a 6’1″, 180-pound defensive back from The Colony, Texas Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Gonzalez … Gonzalez is considered to be a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Gonzalez is rated as the No. 26 cornerback in the nation, and the No. 57 overall player out of the state of Texas. At 247 Sports, Gonzalez is considered to be the No. 28 safety in the country, the No. 43 player overall out of Texas, and the No. 311 overall player in the nation.

In 2019, Gonzalez, while playing both ways, has posted 17 tackles, 8 passes broken up, and two interceptions, while rushing for 119 yards in 11 attempts, and collecting 40 receptions for 706 yards and 12 touchdowns.

His evaluation, by Gabe Brooks at 247 Sports …”Big-bodied two-way standout with position versatility and value in multiple personnel packages. As a DB, owns great height and build for a corner and on the bigger end of the safety spectrum. Easily a 200-pounder in college. Disruptive at the catch point thanks to size and length. Three-phase playmaker with terrific ball skills. Has played tons of snaps at receiver and could play there at the P5 level. Plays instinctive and diagnoses quickly from the secondary. Dangerous in short-to-intermediate range thanks to reactive quickness and closing speed. Ample snaps on the outside and the slot. Not afraid to get his hands on receivers.”

Gonzalez had other offers from … over two dozen schools, most notably Purdue. Gonzalez had been committed to the Boilermakers since August, but switched his commitment after taking an official visit to Boulder for the Stanford game. Other offers came from at least three Pac-12 schools – Arizona State, Utah, and Washington State – while holding Power-Five school offers from the likes of Alabama, Notre Dame, Florida, Miami, Ohio State, Michigan State, and Minnesota.

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights

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Stacy Sneed – RB – De-committed

De-commitment tweet from Sneed, November 16th … “Due to Unfortunate Circumstances, I will be de-committing from Colorado University. Thank you to the coaches and Fan base for the continuous love you’ve showed me. With that being said I will be opening back up my recruitment Thank you…”

Just the facts … Committed August 16th … Sneed is a 5’11”, 175-pound running back from Mansfield, Texas  Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Sneed … Sneed is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. Rivals rates Sneed as the No. 11 all-purpose back in the nation, and the No. 80 overall player out of the state of Texas. At 247 Sports, Sneed is considered to be the No. 65 running back in the nation, the No. 139 player out of Texas, and the No. 1008 player nationally.

Last season, Sneed put up 1,600 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns. Sneed averaged 10.9 yards on 114 carries, 19.9 yards on 22 receptions, and 22.8 yards per kick return as a junior at Mansfield Timberview.

Sneed is the nephew of Roderick Sneed, who was a cornerback for the Buffaloes between 1999 and 2002.

Sneed had other offers from … almost two dozen schools, including a number of Power-Five schools. In addition to having an offer from Arizona from the Pac-12, Sneed had offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Illinois, Iowa State, Missouri, and Texas Tech. Other schools to offer Sneed included Houston, Boise State, San Diego State and Colorado State.

Here is a link to Sneed’s Hudl.com highlights

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Antonio Alfano – DL

Just the facts … Committed November 4th … Alfano is a 6’4″, 285-pound defensive lineman from Colonia, New Jersey Rivals bio 247 Sports bio 

What others say about Alfano … Alfano may be the highest-rated recruit in the history of the program. A member of the Recruiting Class of 2019, Alfano was rated as a five-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Alfano was ranked as the No. 1 defensive end prospect in the country, the No. 1 overall recruit out of the state of New Jersey, and the No. 5 overall prospect in the nation. At 247 Sports, Alfano received similar marks – the No. 1 strongside defensive end in the country, the No. 1 player out of New Jersey, and the No. 1 overall prospect in the entire country.

Alfano enrolled early at Alabama (last January), but did not play a down for the Crimson Tide. He was with the team in September, but left in October due to a family issue. “Antonio’s grandmother recently fell very ill and is still fighting on life support,” his father Frankie Alfano explained on Twitter on Sept. 13. “He is very close with her. Since this illness took effect, Antonio has taken it very hard. He has not attended classes and practices.”

Alabama head coach Nick Saban didn’t mince words about Alfano’s actions. “I just know that the guy basically quit,” Saban said in mid-September to AL.com. “He quit going to class. He quit coming here. We tried to encourage him. We tried to help him. We had tried to set up counseling sessions with him to help him every way we could. … But he didn’t respond to any of the things, so until he responds, you just have to assume the guy quit.”

Before his tribulations in Tuscaloosa, Alfano was expected to have an impact as a true freshman for Alabama. 247 Sports director of scouting Barton Simmons had this to say about Alfano:

There aren’t many pass rushers who play as true freshmen on Nick Saban’s defense, but there aren’t many five-stars with a college-ready frame and skill set quite like Alfano, either. At a position of need, the Crimson Tide landed the nation’s top overall player this cycle per the 247Sports rankings.

“I actually compare Antonio Alfano in some ways to Nick Bosa, who played nose guard for his high school,” Simmons said. “Quinnen Williams played nose for Alabama. I don’t know that Antonio Alfano steps in right away and is Quinnen Williams, but he certainly steps in right away and gives Alabama much-needed depth on the defensive front.

“Antonio Alfano is 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. The guy is a beast. He is on campus already. He can factor in on that defensive front right away. Whether he starts or not I don’t know, but he will be in the rotation is my expectation given how talented he is from a physical standpoint.”

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Alfano has signed a financial aid agreement with Colorado, which is good, but not the final word. A Financial Aid Agreement is different from a Letter of Intent, as it binds the school, but not the player. Until Alfano actually enrolls at CU in January, he remains free to explore other options.

Coming to CU by way of the transfer portal, Alfano may have to sit out the 2020 season. Since he never played a down for the Crimson Tide, however, he may well receive a waiver from the NCAA, which would not only allow him to play in the 2020 season, but have four years to play four in Boulder.

Alfano had other offers from … pretty much every school in the country. Out of the Pac-12, Alfano had offers from Oregon, USC, Arizona State, UCLA, and Stanford. He also had offers from top programs such as Georgia, LSU, Penn State, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, and Wisconsin … and, of course, Alabama, where he signed. Georgia, along with Penn State and Alabama, were his final three choices … which means he was being recruited by Mel Tucker, then the defensive coordinator at Georgia.

Another connection … CU’s athletics academics mentor, Sarah E. Weaver, Ph.D., tweeted out in response to Alfano’s announcement: “SO excited to and happy to work with you again! This time in Boulder!!”

In his own words … From a tweet from Alfano: “I was honored to be recruited by Alabama and Nick Saban and have nothing but positive things to say about them. I want to be successful today and tomorrow and I believe what Coach Tucker is building at Colorado gives me the best opportunity to do that.”

Antonio Alfano All-Access … 

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Ashaad Clayton – RB

Just the facts … Committed November 11th … Clayton is a 6’0″, 190-pound running back from New Orleans, Louisiana (Warren Easton) Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others have to say about Clayton … Clayton is rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Clayton is considered to be the No. 9 running back in the nation, the No. 5 overall prospect out of the state of Louisiana, and the No. 97 player in the nation. At 247 Sports, Clayton is considered to be the No. 16 running back in the nation, the No. 5 overall prospect out of the state of Louisiana, and the No. 180 overall player in the country.

Clayton had other offers from … over a dozen other (high-profile Power-Five conference) schools. On the list of suitors was Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas A&M. Oddly enough, it appears that Kansas is, at least right now, CU’s greatest competition for Clayton’s services.

In his own words … “It was beautiful. The coaching staff, Coach Mel Tucker, he really cares about his kids. Colorado, in general, everything you need is there”, Clayton told Rivals. “They care about academics, about the athletic program — everyone from the ski team to the Zamboni team. Everyone is taken care of and they have all the resources you need. The coaches kept it real with me. They were straight up. Boulder is a beautiful city.”

“They told me about their plan for using me — the same way Easton uses me in the slot, at running back, and I know I can play for sure.”

Here is a link to Clayton’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Toren Pittman – LB

Just the facts … Committed November 11th … Pittman is a 6’4″, 190-pound outside linebacker from Frisco, Texas Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Pittman … Pittman is rated as a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, but was unrated by Rivals at the time of his commitment. Pittman is rated at 247 Sports as the No. 77 outside linebacker in the nation, the No. 148 overall prospect out of the state of Texas, and the No. 1104 player in the nation. Pittman runs a verified 4.63 in the 40, and is a track and field star for his high school, competing in the 110-meter hurdles, 4×100-meter relay, 4×400-meter relay, long jump, and triple jump. With his size and speed, Pittman is likely being recruited for the “Star” linebacker position at Colorado.

Pittman’s father, Kavika Pittman, played defensive end with the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. His grandfather, Drew Pearson, was a three-time All-Pro receiver with the Dallas Cowboys.

Pittman had other offers from … most notably, undefeated Baylor. Pittman also had offers from Arkansas (which just fired their coach), Nevada, Tulsa, UTSA, and Arkansas State.

In his own words … from his tweet announcing his commitment: “I would like to thank Coach Chiaverini for giving me the opportunity to play at the next level. After my amazing visit I would like to announce that I will be attending the University of Colorado. Sko Buffs!!!”

Here is a link to Pittman’s highlight video.

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Brenden Rice – WR

Just the facts … Committed October 15th … Rice is a 6’3″, 208- pound wide receiver from Chandler, Arizona Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Rice ... Rice is considered by Rivals to be a four-star prospect, but only a high three-star prospect by 247 Sports. At Rivals, Rice is rated as the No. 51 wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 8 player overall out of the state of Arizona. At 247 Sports, Rice is considered to be the No. 68 wide receiver in the country, the No. 9 player out of Arizona, and the No. 388 overall prospect in the nation.

Rice has been credited with 28 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns through the first two months of the season this year.

Career stats (as of 10/15/19): 102 receptions … 1,738 yards … 22 touchdowns … 2,119 All-purpose yards … 23 Total touchdowns.

Rice had other offers from … almost two dozen Power-Five conference schools. From the Pac-12, Rice had offers from both Arizona schools, Cal, both Oregon schools, USC, UCLA, Utah and Washington State. Outside of the conference, Rice had offers from schools like Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Michigan State and Ole Miss.

Can Rice still be swayed? He doesn’t believe so. “The reason why I waited so long was to make sure I was 100 percent locked in with that one school,” Rice told 247 Sports. “I’m all for the Buffs and now I’m going to get other guys to come with me.”

In his own words … If you are on Twitter, check out his announcement video at @BrendenRice (it’s about 90 seconds long – and worth your time!).

Why Colorado? Attending the Nebraska game at Folsom Field didn’t hurt. “Coach Tucker’s enthusiasm really stood out,” Rice told 247 Sports. “He is only loud when he needs to be and it was great to be able to see him in the locker room at that game against Nebraska. It was just different and it gave me goosebumps. I think I could run through a brick wall for that guy and it definitely makes me feel like that vision is something special.”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

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Alton Julian – CB – JC – Decommitted

De-commitment tweet from Julian … October 16th … “After talking to my Family, Friends and Coaches, I have made the decision to Re-open my Commitment and De-commit from the University of Colorado. Nothing against Colorado, they have treated me with respect from Day 1. Hope there isn’t any love lost!!!!! They will still be at the top of my list as I decide what University I will be attending for three years. Please respect my decision, no interviews” 

… Note ... The word is that Julian is not academically qualified to transfer to Colorado …

Just the facts … Committed June 17th … Julian is a 6’3″, 195-pound defensive back from San Mateo Junior College in California  Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Julian … At the time of his commitment, Julian was unrated by Rivals. At 247 Sports, however, Julian was rated as a three-star prospect, rated as the No. 6 junior college prospect in the nation, the No. 7 overall junior college prospect from California, and the No. 35 overall junior college player in the nation.

Julian will join the Buffaloes in January with three years to play two.

Julian had other offers from … a number of other schools, including Power-Five conference schools Texas A&M and Oregon State. Julian had other offers from schools like Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, Hawai’i, and San Jose State.

In his own words … From Julian’s tweet announcing his commitment: “I would like to thank all of the schools that gave me an opportunity to come to their school. You’ll never be forgotten. With that being said I would like to continue my STUDENT-Athlete career and 110% commit to the University of Colorado!!”

Here is a link to Julian’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Gavin Holmes – DB – De-committed

… De-committed … October 10th … Holmes’ tweet: “I would like to thank the staff at the University of Colorado for my time as a Buff commit. But after talking it over with my family, we have decided that it is best for me to de-commit from the University of Colorado and re-open my recruitment with the chance of maybe still being a Buff. I thank the staff once again for the great relationship that we have built”. 

Just the facts … Committed June 12th … Holmes is a 5’11”, 160-pound defensive back from New Orleans, Louisiana  Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Holmes … At the time of his commitment, Holmes had not been rated by either Rivals or 247 Sports, but picked up a three-star rating from 247 Sports the day after he committed. According to Holmes’ twitter account, he was clocked at a 4.32 in the 40 at a CU football camp last weekend.

Holmes had other offers from … a list of teams which is commensurate with a prospect who was unrated by the recruiting services. Holmes had reported offers from Louisiana-Monroe, Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Southeastern Louisiana.

In his own words … From Holmes’ tweet announcing his commitment: “To all of the schools who have recruited me, thank you for taking a chance on me. I am forever grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to me, but I know this is the right decision for me to better myself as a student-athlete. This has been a dream of mine since I was younger playing park ball, and now I can turn it into a reality. I am 100% committed to the University of Colorado-Boulder! I truly believe Coach Tucker, Coach Summers, Coach Tillman and the rest of the coaching staff have something special in Boulder, and I want to become a part of it. #GoBuffs!”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

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Louis Passarello – TE

Just the facts … Committed October 6th … Passarello is a 6’5″, 240-pound tight end from Palo Alto, California Rivals bio 247 Sports bio 

What others say about Passarello … Passarello is rated with a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, but only a two-star prospect by Rivals. At 247 Sports, Passarello is considered to be the No. 97 tight end in the nation, the No. 245 overall prospect out of the state of California, and the No. 2,117 overall prospect in the nation.

Passarello starts on both sides of the ball for Palo Alto, at tight end and defensive end. He projects as a tight end for college.

Passarello had other offers from … only Air Force, though there was reported interest from Oregon State. At least, with an offer from the Falcons, qualifying will not be an issue for this prospect.

Here is a link to Passarello’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Jaylen Striker – DB

Just the facts … Committed September 8th … Striker is a 6’2″, 195-pound cornerback from Tampa, Florida, by way of Independence Community College in Kansas Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Striker … Striker is rated as a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, but was not rated by Rivals. At 247 Sports, Stricker is considered to be the No. 11 junior college cornerback in the nation in his Recruiting Class, as well as No. 19 player overall out of Florida, and the No. 85 overall junior college player.

Striker was academically ineligible out of high school, but is now on track to graduate in December. He will have three years to play two at Colorado.

Striker had other offers from … no other reported schools.

In his own words … From his tweet announcing his commitment: “I am a diamond in the rough; and I have worked for every opportunity that has been brought upon me, and I will continue to for everything coming in the near future … I love Colorado and everything about it! It doesn’t get better than Boulder at all; that’s why I am blessed to announce that I am 100% committed to the University of Colorado!!”

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Jayland Parker – LB

Decommitted … September 8th – the day after CU defeated Nebraska (?) … Parker’s tweet: “After careful consideration, discussion with my “family”, and prayer I have arrived at a difficult but necessary decision. I have decided to decommit from the University of Colorado. I appreciate the time and relationships that have been established. I truly appreciate the time and relationships that have been established. I truly appreciate the opportunity, but I have to do what is best for me and my family”.

Just the facts … Committed July 2nd … Parker is a 6’2″, 207-pound inside linebacker from Macon, Georgia Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Parker … Parker is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Parker is considered to be the No. 44 outside linebacker prospect in the nation, and the No. 52 overall prospect out of the state of Georgia. At 247 Sports, Parker is considered to be the No. 19 inside linebacker in the country, the No. 50 overall player out of Georgia, and the No. 485 overall player in the nation.

The CU coaching staff projects Parker as an inside linebacker at the next level although he played his junior as a hybrid outside linebacker in a 4-3 system. Parker expects to play mostly at inside linebacker for his senior season.

Parker had other offers from … almost two dozen schools. From Power-Five Conferences teams, Parker had offers from North Carolina State, Purdue, Arizona, Cincinnati, Duke, Kansas, Louisville, Minnesota, Pitt, Rutgers, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. Parker’s final three were Colorado, North Carolina State, and Purdue.

In his own words … It really felt like home at Colorado,” Parker told CUSportsNation.com. “The vibe, the people and feeling I had felt right. Everyone loves it there. I liked the new culture there, the players were great and it has a lot for me to like.”

“The difference was when I walked into the doors at Colorado, all of the coaches were there with open arms on my official visit,” Parker told BuffStampede.com. “When I saw that on my official visit, I knew that was the place I wanted to be. All of the coaches were interacting. At some schools, the defensive coaches don’t know you, all of the position coaches don’t know. Every coach on the staff at Colorado knows who you are and it is just like family.”

Here is a link to Parker’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Josh Watts – P

Just the facts … Committed August 29th … Watts is punter from Australia 247 Sports bio

What others say about Watts … virtually nothing. 247 Sports has a bio on Watts, but does not include where in Australia Watts is from, his age, height or weight. And still that is better than what Rivals had on Watts when he committed … which was nothing.

Watts had other offers from … no other reported schools. He comes to CU from ProKick Australia, the website for which states that: “Prokick Australia was developed in 2007 to help guide and transition Australian athletes to perform at the College/ NFL level, and with our natural Aussie instinct of kicking a ball, we have focused on that area.” The website claims to have produced a number of NFL and NCAA kickers, including Utah’s Ray Guy Award winner, Tom Hackett.

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Nigel Bethel – CB – (Transfer)

Just the facts … Committed August 29th … Bethel is a 6’0″, 170-pound defensive back from Miami, Florida by way of the Miami Hurricanes Rivals 2018 bio 247 Sports 2018 bio

What others said about Bethel … A member of the Recruiting Class of 2018, Bethel was rated by both Rivals and 247 Sports as a three-star prospect. In the opinion of 247 Sports, Bethel was the No. 113 cornerback prospect in the nation, the No. 201 player out of the talent-rich state of Florida, and the No. 1286 player overall in the nation.

Bethel had other offers from … over a dozen schools, including Georgia (which makes Bethel’s move to CU understandable), Florida, Louisville, Pitt, Purdue Rutgers, and, of course, Miami, where he signed in February, 2018. Bethel took his red-shirt year in 2018. Bethel will be enrolled at Colorado this fall, and can practice with the team, but will not be eligible to participate in games. He is listed as “inactive” on the CU roster, with four years remaining to play three.

In his own words … “Sometimes things don’t work out,” Bethel said of his time at Miami. “I put my name in the portal and I got in contact with Coach Tucker. We started talking and I felt like this would be the best opportunity for me, so we made it happen.”

“It’s a challenge,” Bethel said of playing cornerback . “I like it because it’s hard. If you are doing good at it, you’re doing something right. I like man-to-man because it’s me and the other guy.”

Bethel also said a redshirt year will have its benefits. “It will give me a chance to learn the playbook and get comfortable,” he said. “I can get in the weight room and put on a few pounds.”

Here is a link to some of Bethel’s Hudl.com high school highlights

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Guy Thomas – LB – Junior College

Just the facts … Committed July 20th … Thomas is a 6’3″, 232-pound outside linebacker from Miami, Florida Rivals 2017 bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Thomas  ... As a member of the Recruiting Class of 2017, Thomas was rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals and a three-star prospect by 247 Sports. At Rivals, Parker was considered to be the No. 16 outside linebacker prospect in the nation, and the No. 49 overall player out of the state of Florida. At 247 Sports, Thomas was considered to be the No. 27 outside linebacker in the country, the No. 59 overall player out of the state of Florida, and the No. 452 overall prospect in the country from the Recruiting Class of 2017.

Thomas used his red-shirt year in 2017, then played sparingly for the Cornhuskers in 2018 as a red-shirt freshman. Thomas will play for Coahoma Community College in Mississippi this fall as a redshirt sophomore, then transfer to Colorado in December. Thomas will then be eligible to play in the 2020 season, with two seasons to play two.

Out of high school, Thomas had other offers from … almost two dozen schools. From Power Five schools, Thomas had offers from Alabama, Auburn, Colorado, Florida State, Iowa State, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and TCU.

So, what happened? How did Thomas go from a Miami recruit with offers from some of the heaviest hitters in the nation?

From the Omaha-World Herald: Thomas played in four games this season as a redshirt freshman. He recorded four tackles, with a season-high three coming against FCS foe Bethune-Cookman.

In his own words … When asked by BuffStampede.com in May what his goals would be for the upcoming season, Thomas exuded confidence:

“I think the record is about 12 and I want to get to 20 sacks this year,” he said. “I switched up from defensive end to outside linebacker when I got to college so over the last couple years I have become more of a student of the game. I understand it a lot more now. And I have improved my work ethic. I learned how to work hard, and I now know what comes from working harder.”

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Devin Grant – DL/OLB

Just the facts … Committed June 24th … Grant is a 6’4″, 235-pound defensive lineman from San Antonio, Texas Rivals bio 247 Sports bio 

What others say about Grant … Grant is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Grant is considered to be the No. 25 weakside defensive end in the nation and the No. 89 overall player out of the state of Texas. At 247 Sports, Grant is rated as the No. 43 weakside defensive end in the country, the No. 145 overall player out of the state of Texas, and the No. 1025 overall player nationally. Grant projects to either play defensive end or outside linebacker at Colorado. A two-sport star, Grant averaged almost a double-double last season, averaging 11.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last season.

Grant had other offers from … almost two dozen schools. From Power-Five Conferences teams, Grant reported offers from Boston College, Duke, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Utah.

In his own words … From Grant’s tweet announcing his commitment: “I want to thank all the schools that have been recruiting me. I want to thank my Mom, teammates, and all of the coaches that gave me the support. With that being said, I’m proud to announce that I’m verbally committing to the University of Colorado.”

Here is a link to Grant’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Alvin Williams – DL

Just the facts … Committed June 22nd … Williams is a 6’3″, 225-pound defensive lineman from Ellenwood, Georgia  Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Williams … Williams is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Williams came in as the No. 100 overall prospect out of the talent-rich state of Georgia. At 247 Sports, Williams is considered to be the No. 38 weakside defensive end in the nation, the No. 87 overall prospect from Georgia, and the No. 890 player in the nation.

Williams had other offers from … almost two dozen schools. From Power-Five conferences, Williams had offers from Baylor, Kansas State, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, and Wake Forest.

In his own words … From the Williams tweet announcing his commitment: “I would like to thank all of the coaches through this entire recruiting process, but for the next three to four years my home will be the University of Colorado #Relentless #Savage Sea2on”

Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.

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Justin Jackson – DL – Junior College

Just the facts … Committed June 18th … Jackson is a 6’3″, 250-pound defensive end from Olive Branch, Mississippi Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Jackson … Jackson was unranked by either Rivals or 247 Sports at the time of his commitment. Jackson graduated from Center Hill High School in Olive Branch, Miss., before enrolling at Northwest C.C. in Mississippi. He will have three years to play two after competing as a sophomore for the Rangers.

Jackson had others from … a handful of other schools, with only one, Memphis, easily found on a map (others being Troy, Louisiana-Monroe, and Liberty). Out of high school, Jackson also had limited options, mostly due to the fact that he didn’t start playing football until four years ago.

In his own words … “I quickly fell in love with football and since I got kind of a late start, I always have a chip on my shoulder,” Jackson told BuffStampede.com. “My younger brother just started to play football and he wants to be just like me, so that motivates me. And I let him know, no matter where you go, you can be one of the best players if you just work hard.”

“The way that they play their defense fits my style,” Jackson told the Daily Camera. “I think it’s very fast and up-tempo and that’s what we kind of do at Northwest; we’re fast and up-tempo. It’ll fit my style and I’m really excited to be a part of it … My mother really loved their coaching staff, as well, because they really helped me change myself as a person and academically. They have a great academic staff, as well, and that’s the reason I went to Northwest. The coaches there are really strong about their academics. They get on us about that.”

Here is a link to Jackson’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Gerad Lichtenhan – OL

Just the facts … Committed June 18th … Lichtenhan is a 6’8″, 345-pound offensive lineman from Davis, California Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Lichtenhan … At the time of his commitment, Lichtenhan was unrated by Rivals. At 247 Sports, Lichtenhan was rated as a two-star prospect, being the No. 180 offensive tackle nationally, the No. 294 overall prospect out of the state of California, and the No. 2205 prospect in the nation.

Lichtenhan had other offers from … only a handful of schools, including Nevada, San Jose State, and Portland State.

In his own words … From Lichtenhan’s tweet announcing his commitment: “I would like to give a huge thanks to @CoachCKap and @Coach_mtucker for making me feel welcomed and part of the family. With that being said I am 100% committed to University of Colorado! #GoBuffs #CUBuffs”.

“What I was told by Colorado’s coaches is they don’t really care about stars, they like to do their own evaluations and they like what I do, on and off the field,” Lichtenhan told BuffStampede.com. “They contacted my coach before they got in contact with me so they got a feel for who I am and what I do. And then when they started talking with me, they got more in-depth and liked my personality and my style of play even more.”

Here is a link to Lichtenhan’s Hudl.com highlights.

Here is a YouTube video of Lichtenhan at spring practices, courtesy of BuffStampede.com:

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Caleb Fauria – TE/WR

Just the facts … Committed June 17th … Fauria is a 6’5, 216-pound receiver from Attleboro, Massachusetts Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Fauria … Fauria is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Fauria is rated as the No. 8 overall prospect out of the state of Massachusetts. At 247 Sports, however, Fauria is listed as the No. 13 tight end prospect in the nation, the No. 7 overall player out of Massachusetts, and the No. 426 player overall in the country.

Fauria was named all-conference and second-team all-state as a junior.

Fauria’s father is Christian Fauria, who attended CU in the mid-1990’s. Fauria caught 98 passes for 1,458 yards (14.87 yards per rec.), and 12 touchdowns in a successful partnership with quarterback Kordell Stewart. He set (and will forever hold) the Big Eight Conference record for pass receptions by a tight end. As a senior in 1994, he was the team captain on the 11-1 Buffs which finished No. 3 in the nation. Fauria was a first team All-Big 8 choice, a third team Associated Press All-American choice, and he won the Derek Singleton Award, which is given to the University of Colorado football player who displays the most enthusiasm, dedication, and spirit. 

Fauria was drafted in the second round of the 1995 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks (No. 39 pick overall). Fauria spent seven years with the Seahawks before playing for the New England Patriots (2002-05), picking up two Super Bowl rings. 

Fauria had other offers from … over a dozen other Power-Five conference schools from all over the country. The list includes: Iowa; LSU; Wisconsin; Syracuse; West Virginia; TCU; Pitt; Ole Miss; Maryland; Boston College; Louisville; and Georgia Tech. Fauria took visits to Iowa, Boston College, Connecticut and Massachusetts before taking an official visit to CU on June 14th.

In his own words … Fauria was to the point in his tweet announcing his commitment: “Boulder, I’m home!!! #Committed #GoBuffs”.

“I’m fired up,” Fauria told the Daily Camera. “It’s just the people and the way that coach (Mel) Tucker is going to bring this program up. He has a great group of coaches with him – coach (Darrin Chiaverini), (Al) Pupunu and coach (Jay) Johnson. I just believe that this program is on the rise.

Here is a link to Fauria’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Keith Miller III – WR

Just the facts … Committed June 15th … Miller is a 6’5″, 205-pound wide receiver from The Colony, Texas Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Miller … Miller is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. Rivals has Miller rated as the No. 134 overall prospect out of the state of Texas, while at 247 Sports, Miller is considered to be the No. 154 wide receiver prospect in the country, the No. 133 overall prospect out of the state of Texas, and the No. 959 overall prospect in the nation. Miller also made the Dallas News list of top prospects from the Dallas metro area, coming in at No. 37.

Miller finished his 2018 junior season with 33 catches for 759 yards and eight touchdowns on an impressive 23.0 yards per reception. He caught 18 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns his sophomore year.

Miller had other offers from … over two dozen schools. had offers from a number of Power-Five conference schools, including Washington State, Utah, Purdue, Texas Tech, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Wake Forest, and Kansas State. Colorado is Miller’s third commitment since the fall of his junior season. Miller committed to Texas Tech last fall, but de-committed last December. Miller then committed to Kansas in April before switching his commitment to Colorado.

Here is a link to Miller’s Hudl.com highlights.

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Chris Carpenter – DB/WR

Just the facts … Committed June 2nd … Carpenter is a 5’11”, 170-pound wide receiver/defensive back from Jacksonville, Texas  Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

What others say about Carpenter … Carpenter is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. While listed as a wide receiver by both recruiting sites, 247 Sports has Carpenter listed as the No. 71 cornerback in the nation, the No. 134 player overall in the talent rich state of Texas, and the No. 939 player overall in the nation. Carpenter is expected to be a defensive back for the Buffs. Last season on offense, Carpenter had 24 carries for 255 yards (over ten yards/carry) and three touchdowns, with 31 receptions for 501 yards and two touchdowns.

Carpenter had other offers from … almost two dozen schools, including Power-Five conference schools like Oregon, Arizona State, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and Virginia. Carpenter had been a commit to North Texas, but re-opened his recruitment in March.

In his own words … Carpenter’s tweet announcing his commitment: “After sitting down and having a great conversation with Coach Tucker I have come to the conclusion that I will be taking my talents to the University of Colorado. And I thank all of the other schools that took the time out to recruit me. I just feel home and it’s my choice. So therefore Chris Carp out CU!”

Here is a link to Carpenter’s Hudl.com highlights

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Jake Wray – OL

Just the facts … Committed May 22nd … Wray is a 6’5″, 290-pound offensive lineman from Marietta, Georgia Rivals bio  247 Sports bio

What others say about Wray … Wray is rated as four-star prospect by Rivals, but only a three-star player by 247 Sports (although the composite grade is a four-star). At Rivals, Wray is seem as the No. 36 offensive tackle in the nation, and the No. 31 overall player out of the talent-rich state of Georgia. At 247 Sports, Wray is considered to be the No. 36 offensive tackle in the country, the No. 44 player out of Georgia, and the No. 456 overall propsect in the nation.

Wray had other offers from … almost three dozen Power-Five schools, including a “who’s who” of college football elite. Wray had offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, LSU, Florida, Texas, Miami, Texas A&M, Oregon and Florida State … to name a few. Wray visited CU in early April and has also taken visits to Auburn and Oregon. Wray was originally committed to Ohio State and coach Urban Meyer, but de-committed in December after Meyer retired. Wray’s brother, Max, is a lineman for the Buckeyes.

In his own words … Wray’s tweet announcing his commitment: “Thank you to everyone who has helped me throughout this process. Specifically my teammates, my coaches and my family. I am committed to The University of Colorado #GoBuffs”.

“I’m not going to go looking for a logo or a place that looks like the best on the outside, but once you get on the inside, it’s not exactly how you want to be treated, or the life that you want,” Wray told BuffZone.com about his decision. “This is one of the only times I can decide what I want to do in my life and I’m going to take advantage of that. I’m going to find the best place for me.”

… “Not a lot of people think about Colorado as a football place, but it really is a huge, huge university with tons of support,” He said. “The alumni is all over it. There’s a lot of rabid Buffs fans out there. There’s so much vision for this program and where it needs to go. Everybody is excited, on the same page and ready to get to work.”

Here is a link to his junior year highlights.

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Brendon Lewis – QB

Just the facts … Committed May 10th … Lewis is a 6’3″, 205-pound dual-threat quarterback from Melissa, Texas  Rivals bio  247 Sports bio 

What others say about Lewis … Lewis is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Lewis is ranked as the No. 17 dual-threat quarterback in the nation, and the No. 60 overall prospect out of the state of Texas. 247 Sports, meanwhile, has Lewis rated as the No. 13 dual-threat quarterback from the Recruiting Class of 2020, the No. 63 prospect out of the state of Texas, and the No. 446 recruit in the nation. In 2018, for the 8-4 Melissa Cardinals, Lewis threw for 2,524 yards, with 34 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Lewis also ran for 967 yards and 11 touchdowns. In three seasons for Melissa, Lewis has accounted for just shy of 8,000 total yards … and 98 touchdowns.

At the Rivals Camp Series stop in Dallas in late-March (see link to video highlights, below), Lewis won the “Mr. Clean” Superlative.

“In a loaded crop of quarterbacks in Dallas, one dual-threat who deserved recognition was Lewis,” Rivals.com Analyst Sam Spiegelman wrote. “The Melissa passer is our Mr. Clean, largely because he was so smooth and so precise all afternoon.

“Lewis has impressive size, a fluid throwing motion and spot-on accuracy. Without acknowledging his ability to move in and out of the pocket, Lewis was one of the more reliable passers at camp with his stock on the rise.”

Lewis had other offers from … over a dozen other schools, most from Power-Five conferences. Lewis had offers from Nebraska, TCU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Boston College, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt, Kansas and Houston. Lewis took an official visit to Colorado and Missouri before deciding.

In his own words … I really like their coaches,” Lewis told BuffZone.com. “Coach Tuck, he has a great staff with him. The reason I chose them over Mizzou is my opportunity to play early and just start early. I really like the coaches and players, and I love Boulder; it’s beautiful and a nice campus. The education is nice, too. I just feel like it’s the right fit and I can be successful there.”

From Rivals.com … “I like how diverse Colorado is and the style in all they do things there. I know they can teach me how to get to the next level and all of the schemes. That’s because of Coach Johnson and how smart he is. He’s a very smart coach and you can tell he knows what he’s doing. He made me a priority and he wants me to learn the offense. He always gives the keys to the offense to the quarterbacks to run the offense and even call plays from the line of scrimmage.”

“It was a pretty difficult decision, but Coach Johnson and the offense separated them (Colorado from other schools). It’s also the competition and the overall school, the education and all that. Coach Johnson and the offense, though, how multiple they’re gonna be, I can see myself succeeding in their offense.”

Here is a link to Lewis’ Hudl.com highlights.

Here is a link to Lewis’ highlights from The Opening Dallas regional camp in March, 2019.

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Carson Lee – OL

Just the facts … Committed February 2nd … Lee is a 6’4″, 300-pound offensive lineman from Cherry Creek high school in Greenwood Village, Colorado Rivals bio 247 Sports bio

 What others say about Lee … Lee is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. Rivals has Lee listed as the No. 26 offensive guard in the nation, while 247 Sports has Lee as the No. 31 offensive guard nationally, the No. 7 prospect overall out of the state of Colorado, and the No. 773 player in the country. As a junior, Lee helped Cherry Creek rush for 2,043 yards and 28 touchdowns in 14 games, and was named first-team all-state by Colorado Prep Report.

Lee had other offers from … over a dozen other schools – all from Power Five conferences. From the Pac-12, Lee had offers from both Arizona schools, Washington State and Utah, with other offers from schools like Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Missouri. Lee was reportedly being heavily recruited by Nebraska, but chose to stay in-state instead.

In his own words … From his commitment tweet: “I would like to thank all of the coaches who believed in my abilities. With that being said, I am proud to announce that I will be representing my home state and playing college ball at the University of Colorado. I can’t wait to live out my life long dream of being a Buff!”

“I am going to be the biggest recruiter at the University of Colorado,” Lee told BuffStampede.com. “I am going to do my best to bring in the top guys in the state … I feel like I am going to bring an attitude to Boulder that they have been missing. When I line up from the guy across from me, I want to leave him thinking he never wants to play this game again.”

Here is a link to Lee’s junior season highlights.

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Tags: Alton Julian, Alvin Williams, Antonio Alfano, Ashaad Clayton, Brenden Rice, Brendon Lewis, Caleb Fauria, Carson Lee, Chris Carpenter, Christian Gonzalez, Devin Grant, Gavin Holmes, Gerad Lichtenhan, Guy Thomas, Jake Wray, Jayland Parker, Jayle Stacks, Jaylen Striker, Joe Perkins, Jordan Berry, Josh Watts, Julius Coates, Justin Jackson, Keith Miller III, Louis Passarello, Mister Williams, Montana Lemonious-Craig, Nigel Bethel, Stacy Sneed, Toren Pittman
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