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By The Numbers – Defense
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In a recent article in The Athletic, “Deion Sanders’ extreme Colorado makeover has coaches buzzing: ‘It’s a tremendous risk’ “, there are any number of quotable (anonymous) quotes taking Coach Prime and CU to task for the turnover on the roster this off-season. This one, though, has stuck with me:
“It is just absolutely unreasonable to think you can sign 25 players out of the spring transfer portal and make your team better,” a Big 12 Director of Player Personnel said, “unless the players they had were just that bad, which I don’t buy. In the end, is the sum of the 25 new guys going to be greater than the sum of the 25 old guys? Man, I don’t know.”
Seriously? This guy rates players and rosters for a living, and he doesn’t know whether Coach Prime can find better players than the ones which left after the Spring Game?
Okay, I get it. The number of quality players in the Portal after spring practices is fewer than it was after the first Portal opening in December. If the question is whether CU can put together a starting lineup just from transfers this spring, then there is good reason to be skeptical.
But that is not what Coach Prime and his staff are trying to do with the 20-25 scholarships they had to work with after Spring ball.
What this anonymous director of Player Personnel from the Pac-12 is conveniently forgetting is that Coach Prime already put together the first Top 25 Recruiting Class at CU in over a decade, and followed that up with the nation’s No. 1 ranked Transfer Portal Class (and that was before any post-spring additions).
Can Coach Prime find 25 players this spring better than the 25 who left, Mr. DPP?
Well, he’s already done it … twice!
While it’s never guaranteed that a highly touted freshman will pan out, or a former four-star recruit who comes to Boulder through the Transfer Portal will live up to expectations, if we look at what CU is bringing in, and compare it to what CU is giving up – in as objective manner as we can – there’s no contest.
Let’s take a look – position by position – as to what CU has gained since last December, and what it has lost. I’m not a big fan of star ratings, but that will be a measure we’ll use. Another measure, which I believe to be a more accurate measure of what schools think of a player, is their Power Five offers out of high school. We’ll also take a look, when applicable, at where the former Buffs who have left the team have landed.
Defensive line
Incoming (Defensive tackles)
- Taijh Alston (Sr.)(West Virginia) … three-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Leonard Payne Jr. (Sr.)(Fresno State) … two-star recruit … zero Power Five offers (signed with Fresno State)
- Shane Cokes … (Jr.)(Dartmouth) … unrated recruit … zero Power Five offers (signed with Dartmouth)
- Chazz Wallace … (Jr.)(Old Dominion) … two-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Amari McNeill … (Soph.)(Tennessee) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Zach Blackwood … (Soph.)(Garden City Community College) … unrated recruit … one Power Five offer
- Bishop Thomas … (R.-Fr)(Florida State) … four-star recruit … eight Power Five offers
Incoming (Edge rushers)
- Chance Main … (Sr.) … unrated recruit … zero Power Five offers (signed with Incarnate Word)
- Jordan Domineck … (Sr.)(Arkansas) … three-star recruit … four Power Five offers
- Jeremiah Brown … (Jr.)(Jackson State) … two-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Joshka Gustav … (Jr.) … three-star recruit … two Power Five offers
- Deeve Harris … (Jr.)(Old Dominion) … unrated recruit … zero Power Five offers (signed with Old Dominion)
- Derrick McLendon II … (Jr.)(Florida State) … three-star recruit … 18 Power Five offers
- Sav’ell Smalls … (Jr.)(Washington) … four-star recruit … 32 Power Five offers
- JJ Hawkins … (Soph.)(Mississippi) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Arden Walker … (Soph.)(Missouri) … three-star recruit … 16 Power Five offers
- Taje McCoy … (Fr.) three-star recruit … eight Power Five offers
Outgoing
- Tyas Martin … three-star recruit … six Power Five offers
- Ryan Williams … two-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Allen Baugh … two-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Na’im Rodman (Washington State) … three-star recruit … four Power Five offers
- Aaron Austin … three-star recruit … nine Power Five offers
- Jalen Sami … two-star recruit … two Power Five offers
- Zion Magalei … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
Notes … The week leading up to the Spring Game, there was a question as to whether Coach Prime would have enough defensive linemen to be able to play. Defensive line holdover Buffs from the 2022 team were running out the door at an alarming rate, foreshadowing the flood of exits which were to come the week after the Spring game. While some of the departures were expected, the loss of two starters – Jalen Sami and Na’im Rodman – had Buff fans concerned about the 2023 defensive line roster.
Could the new staff recruit star potential in the trenches, and not just in the skill positions?
It’s looking more and more like the answer to that question is “yes”, as the defensive front has seen a considerable influx as nine – count ’em, nine – defensive linemen have joined the CU roster since the Spring game. The outside seems to be in much better shape, as CU has found several potential edge rushers who can give the program a player who can get to the opposing quarterback. Sav’ell Smalls was a five-star recruit out of high school, but played behind first round NFL Draft talent at Washington, and is now a Buff. Derrick McLendon was a starter for Florida State last season, and Arden Walker is coming home to Colorado after two seasons at Missouri.
The interior of the defensive line remains a work in progress. Replacing Sami and Rodman so far are Shane Cokes, a longtime starter at Dartmouth; Bishop Thomas, a four-star recruit at Florida State who has four years of eligibility remaining, and Taijh Alston, who comes to CU by way of West Virginia. The search for more run stopping, gap-filling defensive linemen, however, continues.
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Linebackers
Incoming
- Brendan Gant (Sr.)(Florida State) … four-star recruit … seven Power Five offers
- LaVonta Bentley (Jr.)(Clemson) … four-star recruit … eight Power Five offers
- Marvin Ham II … (Jr.) … three-star recruit … 11 Power Five offers
- Isaac Hurtado … (Jr.) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Demouy Kennedy …(Jr.)(Alabama) … five-star recruit … 12 Power Five offers
- Eoghan Kerry … (Soph.) … three-star recruit … six Power Five offers
- Victory Johnson … (Fr.) … three-star recruit … eight Power Five offers
- Morgan Pearson … (Fr.) … three-star recruit … seven Power Five offers
- Kofi Taylor-Barrocks … (Fr.) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
Outgoing
- Edgar Amaya (North Alabama) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Kaden Ludwick (Oregon, as a tight end) … three-star recruit … two Power Five offers
- Aubrey Smith (Houston) … three-star recruit … 12 Power Five offers
- Shakaun Bowser … three-star recruit … nine Power Five offers
- Mister Williams … three-star recruit … nine Power Five offers
- Taylor Upshaw (Arizona) … three-star recruit … 22 Power Five offers
- Devin Grant (Incarnate Word) … three-star recruit … six Power Five offers
Notes … The linebacker corps, on paper, looks to be in pretty good shape. Two of the “outgoing” recruits – Aubrey Smith and Taylor Upshaw – transferred to CU in January, but didn’t stay past April. The remaining players who have left the program haven’t found Power Five homes, with the exception of Kaden Ludwick, who is transferring to Oregon … as a tight end.
The current roster, though, could still use an influx of talent. There are nine players on the roster who currently could be listed as inside linebackers, taking over for the graduated Josh Chandler-Semedo and Quinn Perry, who finished first and third, respectively, in tackles last season. The issue is that three of the eight are holdovers from the 2022 team: Marvin Ham, Isaac Hurtado, and Eoghan Kerry, together with three true freshman: Victory Johnson; Morgan Pearson; and Kofi Taylor-Barrocks. Two of the other new players are both high profile – Demouy Kennedy, a former five-star recruit at Alabama, and LaVonta Bentley, a former four-star recruit for Clemson – and represent a clear upgrade on the roster. Brendan Gant was a four-star recruit from the Class of 2019, but went to Florida State as a safety. Unless CU coaches are depending upon three holdovers from the 1-11 team, and/or the three true freshmen coming in this fall, to have an immediate impact, additional help for Kennedy, Bentley and Gant would be most welcome.
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Defensive Backs
Incoming (Cornerbacks)
- Omarion Cooper … (Jr.)(Florida State) … three-star recruit … 19 Power Five offers
- Kyndrich Breedlove …(Soph.)(Mississippi) … four-star recruit … 13 Power Five offers
- Jahquez Robinson … (Soph.)(Alabama) … four-star recruit … 22 Power Five offers
- Travis Hunter …(Soph.)(JacksonState) … five-star recruit … 11 Power Five offers
- Cormani McClain … (Fr.) … five-star recruit … 28 Power Five offers
- Carter Stoutmire … (Fr.) … three-star recruit … five Power Five offers
Incoming (Safeties)
- Rodrick Ward … (Sr.)(Louisville) … unrated recruit … zero Power Five offers (comes to CU from Southern Utah)
- Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig … (Jr.)(Jackson State) … unrated recruit … zero Power Five offers (comes to CU from Jackson State)
- Myles Slusher … (Jr.)(Arkansas)… four-star recruit … 24 Power Five offers
- Travis Jay … (Jr.)(Florida State) … four-star recruit … 10 Power Five offers
- Trevor Woods … (Jr.) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Vito Tisdale … (Soph.)(Kentucky) … three-star recruit … 21 Power Five offers
- Jaden Milliner-Jones … (Fr.) … three-star recruit … seven Power Five offers
Outgoing
- Kaylin Moore (Cal) … three-star recruit … four Power Five offers
- Toren Pittman … three-star recruit … two Power Five offers
- Keyshon Mills … three-star recruit … two Power Five offers
- Dylan Dixson … three-star recruit … seven Power Five offers
- Nikko Reed … two-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Simeon Harris (Utah State) … two-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Joshua Wiggins (Liberty) … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Jason Oliver … three-star recruit … four Power Five offers
- Xavier Smith … two-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Tyrin Taylor … three-star recruit … three Power Five offers
- Jeremy Mack … unrated recruit … one Power Five offer
- Tavion Beasley … three-star recruit … six Power Five offers
- Oakie Salave’a (Hawai’i) … three-star recruit … one Power Five offer
- Nigel Bethel … three-star recruit … five Power Five offers
Notes … It’s difficult to look at the influx of talent in the back end of CU’s defensive roster and not smile. Much has been said about Travis Hunter, the top cornerback recruit in the nation from the Class of 2022, and Cormani McLain, the top cornerback recruit in the nation from the Class of 2023, and not marvel of what an upgrade this brings to the woeful CU defense.
Equally exciting, though, is the quality depth Coach Prime has brought to Boulder. In addition to Hunter and McClain, the Buff secondary has four four-star recruits playing defense, and all come to CU from the SEC and ACC: Myles Slusher was a starter for Arkansas, Kyndrich Breedlove played in nine games as a true freshman for Ole Miss, Jahquez Robinson played at Alabama and Travis Jay played for Florida State (Omarion Cooper was a starter at Florida State, but he was “only” a three-star prospect out of high school).
Trevor Woods was a starting safety for the Buffs last season, finishing second in tackles (Woods would have led the team in tackles, had he not been out with an injury for the final two games of the season). His tenacity got the attention of the coaching staff, and he has been asked to stay on. Other players Buff fans would have liked to see remain on the roster, including cornerback Nikko Reed, have left the team, but it’s impossible not to look at the current roster and note the tremendous upside the new group has for keeping the quality quarterbacks in the Pac-12 at bay.
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By the numbers … Defense
Incoming players (33 – not counting returning players)
- 3 five-star prospect
- 8 four-star prospects
- 14 three-star prospects
- 8 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 337 (10.2/player)
Outgoing players (28)
- zero five-star prospects
- zero four-star prospects
- 21 three-star prospects
- 7 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 132 (4.7/player)
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By the numbers … Offense (story posted here)
Incoming players (29 – not counting returning players)
- 1 five-star prospect
- 3 four-star prospects
- 18 three-star prospects
- 7 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 193 (6.6/player)
Outgoing players (27)
- zero five-star prospects
- zero four-star prospects
- 21 three-star prospects
- 6 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 119 (4.4/player)
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By the Numbers … Totals
Incoming players (62 – not counting returning players)
- 4 five-star prospect
- 11 four-star prospects
- 32 three-star prospects
- 15 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 530 (8.5/player)
Outgoing players (55)
- zero five-star prospects
- zero four-star prospects
- 42 three-star prospects
- 13 two-star or unrated prospects
- Total Power Five offers: 251 (4.6/player)
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6 Replies to “By the Numbers – Defense”
Hey Stuart could you put 10 “have at least 10”
Young mind and old fingers
or visa versa
thanks
vkb
2024 recruiting
Work to do
1 four star
3 three star
Ranked 46
Go Prime, yur gonna have to win some games.
Note: The top 18 have at least commits
Lotta 4 and 5 stars taken
Note 2: As Prime says, Gotta win now.,,,………….pressure is on eh?
Thanks for compiling, comparing and quantifying the relative upgrade in talent, Stu. As all these names whirl in and out, we get the sense of what’s happening, but you put some #s to it.
In addition to the offers list/s, another stark indicator of the relative upgrade is – using another inexact figure, but it’s still illustrative – is the overall player ranking they were given for their class. Again, I can’t speak in exact terms, but overall, the CU roster/s have been manned by dudes who were 1000-2000 player/s in their class/es. I’d say now, the average class ranking is closer to 500-800? Not that stars, rankings and offer lists are the end all be all, but they along w/ Deion’s eye for talent and work ethic should bode well for this entirely new team.
And as others have pointed out, with Deion’s 40/40/20 ratio, he’s got a lot of transfers with two, three and four years of remaining eligibility coming in, who’ve already had a chance to grow with a year or two (or three) at their prior school. It’s like a lot of the new dudes went on their mission at BYU or Utah, it was just playing football, and are now at CU. I think that growth physically and mentally matters, especially for the offensive and defensive lines.
Moreover, I think as he builds his program, he’s not going to forget about high school recruiting. He may shift to fewer one and done grad transfers, so it’s 20/40/40? We’ll find out.
But, they comin’. And with a more competitive team, and more wins, even more will be comin’.
Go Buffs.
By star power we are clearly better. I also think we are picking up some of the best from group of 5 and lower, guys that just developed later but dominated at lower levels. I think we did let some guys that were solid players leave who would have competed for starting positions and been solid depth peices like Sami, MLC, Tyson, Reed but it is obvious that they did not feel love from the coaches and the feeling of the team is just massively different. And I think a lot of these guys were uncomfortable with it.
And some OLDER guys in that developed talent. Players that are 21 or older, how long have we’ve been hearing “but the Buffs are young”?
Perpetually! It’s been a problem at CU!
There are plenty of two years to play two, or one to play one and a few three to play three that includes the extra Covid year and their redshirt season, so they have been on a team for three years (21 y.o.) and still have three years!
Well done Stuart…an objective analysis clearly debunking the DPP. Albeit entitled to their opinions, the nay sayers, haters, and Nebraska trolls must be shown the proverbial door by CP and our Buffs.