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Who’s Next?
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Colorado signed 21 players at the Early Signing Day on Wednesday, which means that Mel Tucker & Co. can have four more “counters” for the Recruiting Class of 2020 to reach the NCAA limit of 25 players per Class.
Assuming that Mel Tucker was not toying with the Buff Nation when he stated that he was not in the market for a transfer quarterback (“I’m not in the portal right now per se for the quarterback position,” said Tucker at his press conference announcing the CU Recruiting Class of 2020. “That’s not a consideration for us right now”), and that there are no Mikial Onu’s out there who can step right in and play safety, then who will the Buffs be turning to to fill out the Class of 2020?
Word is that there will be no gray-shirts from this Class (prospects who delay their enrollment until the following January, thus becoming a member of the next Class), so all of the players who signed this December will count against this Class.
Here’s what seems to be the consensus about what roster additions there will/might be between now and the second Signing Day in February …
One Blue Shirt in the fold
While not yet officially announced, it is widely reported that Cherry Creek high school running back Jayle Stacks is about to become a Buff. Stacks will be a “blue shirt” recruit, which means he will enroll in January (at which time his commitment will become official). Stacks will be on scholarship, and can practice with the team, but won’t be able to participate until 2021, and his scholarship will count against the Class of 2021.
The Stacks bio …
Jayle Stacks – RB
Just the facts … Committed November 25th … Stacks is a 6’0″, 225-pound running back from 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. 100 running back in the country, the No. 11 overall prospect out of the state of Colorado, and the No. 1601 player nationally. This fall, for 14-0 state champion Cherry Creek, Stacks had 123 carries for 1155 yards (a 9.4 yards/carry average), with 15 touchdowns. Stacks also has 14 receptions for 196 yards and five more touchdowns. In his high school career, Stacks has rushed for 2,997 yards and 39 touchdowns, with 268 yards and seven touchdowns receiving.
Stacks was named the Most Outstanding Player of the state title game after rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, and was later honored as the Colorado 5A Football Player of the Year (not bad for a two-star prospects, eh, Rivals?).
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!”
“I started as a freshman and I think each year I progressed and got better,” Stacks told BuffStampede.com. “My senior year it was time to just put it all together. My mentality is to go out there and be more powerful than everybody else, get those hard yards, keep the chains moving until we get in the end zone. Hopefully as my time goes as a Buff, I can keep improving the same way I did in high school.”
Here is a link to 247 Sports highlights.
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Next on the commitment list
Committed to Colorado since November 11th, one member of the Recruiting Class of 2020 who did not send in his Letter of Intent on Wednesday was Ashaad Clayton, a four-star running back from New Orleans. It was not unexpected that Clayton would not send in his Letter, and it doesn’t mean that CU is out of the running. Clayton made it clear to all of his suitors that he wasn’t going to sign in December, preferring to wait until February.
Clayton took his official visit to Colorado in November for the Stanford game. He has since taken an official visit to Kansas, and there are reports that the new coaching staff at Arkansas is making a late pitch for Clayton’s services.
While not a position of desperate need, a four-star running back will always be a welcome addition to the roster.
The Clayton bio …
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. 17 running back in the nation (Clayton was No. 9 before he committed to CU), the No. 10 overall prospect out of the state of Louisiana (he was No. 5 before committing to CU). Clayton was considered the No. 97 player in the nation when he committed on November 11th, but then dropped out of the top 100 a few weeks later. 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.
Despite the drop in his status (due to hypothetical injury issues), Clayton, in leading Warren Easton to the Louisiana 4A state title, rushed for 1,157 yards and 19 touchdowns … in the playoffs! (five games). In winning the MVP trophy for the championship game (a 35-34 loss), Clayton had 32 carries for 211 yards and three touchdowns. Clayton rushed for over 2,000 yards his senior year.
Evaluation from 247 Sports … Owns the requisite build for a three-down, high-volume back at the Power 5 level. Good height and bulk. Owns virtually college-ready size but will easily pack on more to reach 220-pound range. Showed more power as a runner in junior season. Continues to improve ability to run behind pads. Fairly quick-footed relative to size. Shows enough wiggle and hesitation to make first defender miss and can weave for extra yards. However, at his best as a north-south hole-puncher. Runs with good initial burst when going downhill. No verified testing numbers, but owns a promising 11-flat 100-meter time. Run strength is too much for arm tackles. Showing more and more run-finishing authority. Needs to improve pad level and run with a low center of gravity more consistently. Gears down at times when changing speeds. Unclear if field speed always matches track speed. Needs to get pads square to the LOS more consistently. High-major running back prospect who should become quality starter with long-term NFL Draft ceiling.
Clayton has other offers from … over a dozen other (high-profile Power-Five conference) schools. On the list of suitors was Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Texas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas A&M.
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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Mel Tucker Jr.?
Once upon a time, there was a cornerback from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, who took his talents west.
Mel Tucker went from Cleveland to play for the Wisconsin Badgers.
William Anglen, a cornerback from Cleveland, may play for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Anglen did not sign a Letter of Intent this week, but is expected to sign in February. The Buffs are facing off against Cincinnati for Anglen’s services.
The Anglen bio …
William Anglen – DB
Just the facts … Anglen is a 6’2″, 190-pound athlete from Cleveland, Ohio … Rivals bio 247 Sports bio
What others say about Anglen … Anglen is rated as a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. According to Rivals, Anglen is the No. 45 overall prospect out of the state of Ohio. At 247 Sports, Anglen is considered to be the No. 134 safety in the nation, the No. 66 overall prospect out of Ohio, and the No. 1762 overall player in the nation.
How did Anglen get on CU’s radar? CU head coach Mel Tucker has a long time relationship with Glenville head coach Ted Ginn, Sr.(dating back to Tucker’s stint at Ohio State).
Anglen has other offers from … most notably, Cincinnati, with the Bearcats being the strongest competitor for Anglen’s services. Other offers almost a dozen other schools, with most of the offers coming from nearby schools like Bowling Green, Toledo, Akron, Ball State and Kent State.
Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights
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Will He or Won’t He?
There will be many more CU fans watching the Under Armour All-American Game on January 2nd (ESPN2).
As it will be on January 2nd that four-star defensive end will announce his choice of schools. After taking his official visit to CU in November for the Stanford game, Harris took official visits to Indiana and UCLA.
Fingers are crossed that Harris will stick with Colorado, and give CU fans a late Christmas present.
The Harris bio …
Jason Harris – DE
Just the facts … Harris is a 6’7″, 220-pound weakside defensive end from Gilbert, Arizona Rivals bio 247 Sports bio
What others have to say about Harris … Harris is rated as a four-star prospect by both Rivals and 247 Sports. At Rivals, Harris is rated as the No. 9 player end out of the state of Arizona, and the No. 13 overall weakside defensive end in the nation. At 247 Sports, Harris is the No. 8 player from Arizona, the No. 17 weakside defensive end in the country, and the No. 324 overall player in the nation.
Evaluation from Blair Angulo from 247 Sports … Tall, lanky frame with long limbs and narrow build. Plenty of room to add mass and strength. Very comfortable in stand-up role off the edge. Reach keeps blockers at arm’s length. Shows good burst off the snap, but takes time to reach top-end speed. Awareness to get hands up when he doesn’t reach the backfield. Athletic, but raw defender who needs to improve pass-rush moves. Lacks elite speed and explosiveness. Potential multi-year starter with upside as NFL Draft Day 2 selection.
Harris has other offers from … over two dozen schools. Harris has offers from two-thirds of the Pac-12, including both Arizona schools, both Oregon schools, and both Los Angeles schools. Other Power-Five offers came from schools like Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
Here is a link to his Hudl.com highlights.
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The CU Recruiting Class of 2020 is currently rated as the No. 33 Class in the nation by Rivals and No. 36 by 247 Sports (it’s worth noting that both of these rankings include running backs Jayle Stacks and Ashaad Clayton in its calculations). These are the best rankings CU has had from the rating services in over a decade.
The addition of Anglen and Harris (especially Harris) will help boost the CU rankings even higher.
Fingers crossed …
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2 Replies to “Who’s Next?”
Nicely done.
Sheesh is it okay to guess?
SkoStu