Recruiting – Class of 2014

Recruiting Class of 2014

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SULLY WIEFELS – OL

Just the facts … Committed February 3rd … Wiefels is a 6’4″, 305-pound offensive lineman from Eagle, Idaho, by way of American River Community College. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Wiefels … Wiefels is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but only a two-star prospect by Scout. A junior college graduate, Wiefels will have three years to play two at Colorado. According to jcgridiron.com: “American River College had one of the better offensive lines on the West Coast this season and guard Sully Wiefels was a big part of the equation. Wiefels is a big and physical player at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, and is a two-time all-Valley Conference selection, which is one of the top-tier conferences in Northern California. At No. 8 on our list (of top junior college offensive linemen), Wiefels played a lot of right tackle as well for the Beavers, and his video shows a guy with good strength and the desire to finish his blocks”.

Wiefels had other offers from … most notably, Colorado State. Wiefels committed to the Rams after visiting in December. Last summer, Wiefels had committed to Hawai’i, but quickly changed his mind and was uncommitted for most of the fall. Wiefels also had offers from Texas State, Idaho and Sacramento State, and also took an official visit to Cal in January.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Wiefels at American River College

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SHAY FIELDS – WR

Just the facts … Committed to USC on October 24th, de-committed January 21st, committed to Colorado January 27th … Fields is a 5’10”, 170-pound wide receiver from Bellflower, California. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Fields … Fields is considered to be a four-star prospect by Rivals, and a three-star prospect by Scout. Rivals rates Fields as the No. 44 wide receiver in the nation, and the No. 36 player out of California this season overall. Scout lists Fields as the No. 74 wide receiver in the nation. Fields played for the undefeated state champion St. John Bosco, of Bellflower, California, with the Braves not only being ranked No. 1 in the state, but also ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 1 high school team in the nation. This past season, Fields had 82 catches for 1,617 yards (an impressive 19.72 yards per catch) and 17 touchdowns.

Fields had other offers from … over a dozen schools. Most notably, Fields was originally a USC commit, but de-committed in what has been described as a mutual parting of the ways. Fields also had offers from Cal and Utah from the Pac-12, as well as TCU, Boise State, Nevada and San Diego State.

In his own words … Fields visited Colorado the weekend of January 18th, and visited Cal before making his decision. “Colorado was a great visit, I loved it there,” Fields told Scout.com after his visit to Boulder. “The city of Boulder is a great college town and a beautiful area. I like the coaching staff a lot and spent a ton of time with WR Coach Troy Walters. He was an All-American at Stanford and is someone I know I could learn a lot from.

“He told me I would have a great chance to not just play early there but he thinks I have the ability to be a freshman All-American. They have a big need for receivers and the depth chart sets up really well for me. I like the offense a lot and I think they’re building something there. They won four games last season but I think they’ll be able to improve those numbers and it would be cool to be a part of helping to turn the program around”.

Here are some YouTube highlights from Fields’ senior season:

TERRAN HASSELBACH – DE

Just the facts … Committed January 10th … Hasselbach is a 6’2″, 230-pound athlete from Regis Jesuit high in Aurora, Colorado. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Hasselbach … Hasselbach is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a two-star prospect. Rivals rates Hasselbach as the No. 18 player out of the state of Colorado this season. Hasselbach has had a tough start to his career, as a car accident kept him from playing his first two years. He then had a shoulder injury which deprived him of his junior year – and left him off the radar for many recruiting services. Hasselbach bounced back to be named an all-state performer in his senior campaign, earning the honor of being named the Colorado Mile High Sports Comeback Player of the Year. This past fall, Hasselbach recorded 78 tackles, 11 sacks, 35 quarterback hurries and three caused fumbles.

Hasselbach had other offers from … about a dozen schools, but none of them from a BCS conference. New Mexico State, Western Michigan, and Florida International were his only 1-A offers. Hasselbach committed to Western Michigan in December, but when Zach Brown de-committed so that he could find a school closer to his home in San Diego, a scholarship opened up. Colorado offered, and Hasselbach, son of 11-year NFL veteran Harold Hasselbach, accepted.

Here are YouTube highlights from Hasselbach’s senior season:

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LEE WALKER – WR

Just the facts … Committed December 15th … Walker is a 6’0″, 170-pound wide receiver prospect from San Diego, California. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Walker … Walker was considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. In this instance, “was” is the operative word. Walker was a member of the Recruiting Class of 2013, signing with Arizona last February. Walker did not qualify academically, however, and did not enroll at Arizona this fall. Instead of going to junior college, Walker took steps to qualify, and is now in position to sign with any team … and report in January as a freshman.

In his senior season at Madison high in San Diego, Walker had 41 catches for 755 yards and 12 touchdowns for a team which went 14-1. Walker also had 549 yards returning kickoffs, and another 481 yards returning punts. Throw in 39 yards rushing and 14 yards in interception returns (he had three), and Walker had 1,838 yards of total offense his senior season.

Walker had other offers from … only UTEP, though it should be noted that Walker first committed to Arizona in August of 2012, which may have had an impact on the number of offers he received.

Here are the YouTube highlights from Walker’s senior season:

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MICHAEL MATHEWES – DL

Just the facts … Committed December 15th … Mathewes is a 6’4″, 235-pound defensive end from Mission Viejo, California He reportedly runs a 4.85 in the 40. Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Mathewes … Mathewes, like his teammate Josh Kaiser, was unrated by either Rivals or Scout, and did not even show up in the Scout database until after he committed to Colorado. Mathewes did play for a very good team, however. Mission Viejo went 11-1 this past fall, and finished the season ranked as the No. 6 team in the state of California, and the No. 36 team in the nation. A few of Mathewes’ post-season honors: Max Preps Division 1 All-State Team; Los Angeles Times All-Area Team, Southern Section All-Pac 5 Division Team, Orange County Register All-County Team, South Coast League Defensive Player of the Year … 14 sacks.

Mathewes had other offers from … Army.

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

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JOSH KAISER – OL

Just the facts … Committed December 15th … Kaiser is a 6’5″, 265-pound offensive lineman from Mission Viejo, California. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Kaiser … Kaiser, like his teammate Michael Mathewes, was unrated by either Rivals or Scout, and did not even show up in the Scout database until after he committed to Colorado. Kaiser did play for a very good team, however. Mission Viejo went 11-1 this past fall, and finished the season ranked as the No. 6 team in the state of California, and the No. 36 team in the nation.

Kaiser had other offers from … no one.

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

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HAYDEN JONES – TE / DE

Just the facts … Committed December 12th … Jones is a 6’6″, 235-pound tight end prospect from Sacramento, California. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Jones … Jones is unrated by Rivals, but is listed as a two-star prospect by Scout, which rates Jones as the No. 98 tight end in the nation. Even though Rivals has not rated Jones, NorCalPreps.com, affiliated with Rivals, had this to say about Jones back on September 26th: “It’s not difficult to see why Colorado and other schools are giving Jones a look. He should get serious three-star consideration simply because of his frame, his aggressive mentality and the fact that he can be an asset in the running game and passing game … That and the fact that there are no major or glaring liabilities make him a clear BCS-caliber player”.

This past season, playing for the 9-4 Christian Brothers Falcons, Jones had 35 catches for 499 yards and two touchdowns. Jones is currently busy playing center for his high school basketball team. Depending on how much more growing Jones does, he may be placed at defensive end by the CU coaching staff – Jones had 15 tackles, including tackles for loss, four sacks and seven hurries this past season.

Jones had other offers from … About half of the conference … the Mountain West Conference, that is. Jones had offers from Colorado State, Air Force, Nevada, and Wyoming, as well as Idaho, Northern Arizona and UC-Davis. Jones reported interest from several Pac-12 schools, including UCLA and Washington, but there are no confirmed offers from these schools.

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

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DONOVAN LEE – DB/WR

Just the facts … Committed December 12th … Lee is a 5’8″, 162-pound athlete from West Hills, California. Lee is the Chamiande high school teammate of linebacker Rick Gamboa (see bio, below), who committed to the Buffs back in June. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Lee … Lee is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. The thing is, Rivals has Lee rated as a three-star cornerback, the No. 80 player out of the state of California this season. Scout, meanwhile, has Lee as a three-star wide receiver, the No. 140 wide receiver nationally (Lee will likely be a cornerback / kick returner at Colorado). This past season, Lee put up great stats – as a wide receiver? As a cornerback? No. As a running back. Lee had 229 carries for 1,804 yards (a 7.88 ypc average) and 36 (36!) touchdowns. Lee also had 27 catches for 560 yards (over 20 yards per catch) and four more touchdowns. On defense, Lee had 112 tackles (92 solo), with eight interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The Chaminade Eagles finished the season with a 12-2 record, ranked as the No. 7 team in California, and the No. 36 team nationally.

Lee had other offers from … Colorado State, San Jose State, Wyoming, Idaho and Eastern Washington. Lee, along with teammate Gamboa, were in Boulder for the spring game and Junior Day.

Here are some YouTube highlights of Lee:

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AHKELLO WITHERSPOON – DB (Junior College)

Just the facts … Committed December 8th … Witherspoon is a 6’3″, 182-pound cornerback prospect from Sacramento City Community College. Rivals bio

What others say about Witherspoon … Witherspoon is not rated by Rivals, and does not even show up in the Scout database. He will be mid-year transfer, and will be eligible to participate in spring drills. Witherspoon will have four years to play three at Colorado.

Witherspoon has other offers from … no one of record. Witherspoon reported offers from Washington (before the coaching change), Fresno State, UNLV, Utah State and Idaho State.

Here are some highlights from Witherspoon’s 2013 season at Sacramento City Community College.

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WYATT SMITH – LS

Just the facts … Committed November 24th … Smith is a long-snapper from Perkinston, Mississippi. Smith is 6’3″, 200-pounds. Rivals bio

What others say about Smith … Smith is an unrated player, who comes to Colorado as a long-snapper specialist. Smith played center at Gulf Coast Community College in Mississippi. For what it’s worth, Smith was rated by a service as the No. 2 long-snapper available, and Colorado needs a long-snapper. Ryan Iverson has been the long-snapper for the Buffs for the past four years. This past spring, four walk-ons were brought in to audition for the job, with Blake Allen, a freshman, winning the role as backup to Iverson this fall.

He (Smith) is an outstanding player and a great student,” MGCCC coach Steve Campbell said. “He should do well at Colorado.”

Smith had other offers from … Troy, though Smith did report interest from Arizona State and Florida. A junior college transfer, Smith will have three years to play two as a Buff.

In his own words … “It is an incredible place,” Smith told the Buloxi-Gulfport Sun Herald. “When I stepped off the plane, everything was perfect about it. It feels like Southern hospitality. I think the coaching staff has the program going in the right direction and the players are buying into it. There was nothing I didn’t like … Who doesn’t want to play in the Coliseum (in Los Angeles)? Colorado is in a BCS conference and the teams in the conference have a chance to compete for a national championship every year. It is the right fit for me.”

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JAISEN SANCHEZ – DB

Just the facts … Committed November 18th … Sanchez is a defensive back prospect from Honolulu, Hawai’i. Sanchez is 6’1″, 185-pounds.  Rivals bio Scout bio

What others say about Sanchez … Sanchez is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a two-star prospect. Sanchez recorded 35 tackles, 14 pass break ups and three interceptions this season. He won league in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.6-seconds as a junior, and also clocked in at 11.41-seconds in the 100-meter dash during track season last spring.

Sanchez had other offers from … only Hawai’i amongst FBS schools, although UCLA had shown interest. His only other reported offers were from Weber State, Portland State, and Southern Utah, all members of the Big Sky Conference.

In his own words … “I couldn’t picture myself playing anywhere else,” Sanchez told BuffPlaybook.com upon his commitment. “I really like what Coach Mike MacIntyre and his staff are doing at Colorado.”

Here is a YouTube video with Jaisen Sanchez highlights:

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JOMON DOTSON – RB – De-committed January 22nd

Just the facts … Committed October 6th … Dotson is a running back prospect from American Canyon, California. Dotson is 6’0″, 178-pounds, and runs a reported 4.48 in the 40.  Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Dotson … Dotson is considered to by both Rivals and Scout to be a three-star prospect. Rivals rates Dotson as the No. 48 running back in the nation, and the No. 57 player overall out of the state of California from the Class of 2014.  Scout, meanwhile, has Dotson as the No. 64 running back in the nation. In his first five game of the 2013 season, American Canyon has gone 4-1, and Dotson has already accumulated over 1,000 yards rushing. In just 74 carries – that’s a 13.53 yards per carry average – Dotson has 1,001 yards and 16 touchdowns. As a junior, Dotson had 167 carries for 2,148 yards (a 12.86 yards per carry average) and 24 touchdowns.

Dotson had other offers from … numerous other schools, including from BCS conference schools Arizona State, Northwestern and Iowa State. Dotson also had offers from Nevada, Colorado State, San Jose State … and Yale. Dotson wants to be an electrical engineer, and the CU program was a selling point in his decision.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Dotson in action.

And YouTube highlights from his junior season:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4brM5zqr7eY

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CHRISTIAN SHAVER – DL

Just the facts … Committed August 28th … Shaver is a defensive line prospect from Sandy, Utah. Shaver is 6’3″, 215-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Shaver … Shaver is considered by both Rivals and Scout to be a two-star prospect.

Shaver had other offers from … Utah and Hawai’i. Arizona State and Utah State were also interested, and reportedly had an offer to make an unofficial visit to USC for their home opener against Washington State on September 7th.

A BuffPlayBook.com video from YouTube from Shaver’s visit to a CU camp this past summer:

Video highlights of Shaver’s junior year from Hudl.com can be found here.

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ELIJAH RODRIGUEZ – OL (De-committed February 3rd)

Just the facts … Committed August 23rd … Rodriguez is an offensive line prospect from Houston, Texas. Rodriguez is 6’6″, 280-pounds, and runs a 5.0 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Rodriguez … Rodriguez is considered Rivals to be a two-star prospect, but, after a great senior season, was bumped up to a three-star prospect by Scout.com. Scout rates Rodriguez as the No. 113 offensive tackle in the nation, up from No. 141 when he committed to Colorado. Rodriguez moved to right tackle for his senior season after playing on the left side of the line during his junior campaign. “(Rodriguez) is a pretty good athlete,” Cy-Creek coach Greg McCaig told the Houston Chronicle. “He’s also played on our basketball team for us, so he’s got really good feet. And that’s probably a more natural position for him.”

Rodriguez had offers from … about a dozen other schools,  including Arizona State, Illinois, and Kansas. Rodriguez also had offers from Houston, Fresno State, Nevada, Tulsa, New Mexico and UCF. LSU, however, is still in the picture. Rodriguez took an unofficial visit to LSU for the Texas A&M game in November, and came away impressed … but without an offer.

“Right now, I’m just praying about it and trusting in God to help me make the right decision,” Rodriguez told TigerBait.com after visiting Baton Rouge. “Right now I’m committed to Colorado and I’m sticking with that commitment. It feels right and it’s a good fit, but I’m also considering LSU.

“I would love to go back and take an official if they invite me,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t really get to see that much other than the stadium and the locker room after the game. That would be great to take an official visit there.”

In his own words … In June, Rodriguez attended a camp in Pearland, Texas, which involved CU coaches. Rodriguez came away impressed. “I really enjoyed it out here,” Rodriguez told FoxSportsNext. “I came out here to see the Colorado coaches because they have offered me. I wanted to get to work with the offensive line coach. This was the first time I met the Colorado coaches in person and I got a lot of helpful pointers from the coaches on pass pro. Overall, it was a nice camp.”

Video highlights of Rodriguez from Hudl.com can be found here.

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SAM BENNION – DL

Just the facts … Committed August 14th … Bennion is a defensive line prospect from Logan, Utah. Bennion is 6’5″, 243-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Bennion … Bennion is considered by Scout to be a two-star prospect, but was an unrated player by Rivals at the time of his commitment.  Bennion was named honorable mention all-state and earned all-region and all-Valley honors after recording 52 tackles and 10 sacks as a junior.

Bennion had other offers from …  Utah, Weber State, and several Ivy League schools like Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth, so qualifying this commit is likely not going to be an issue. However, Bennion is a name which Buff fans are going to have to put away into their memory banks for a few years. Bennion is going to take a Mormon mission for two years after graduating high school. If this works out, Bennion could come back to Boulder as a strong, mature defensive lineman.

Here is a link to Hudl.com highlights of Bennion’s junior season.

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JASE FRANKE – DL

Just the facts … Committed August 12th … Franke is a defensive line prospect from Ventura, California. Franke is 6’4″, 255- pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Franke … Franke is considered by Scout to be a three-star prospect, and was considered by Rivals to be a three-star prospect last summer, but has since downgraded him to a two-star prospect. Scout has him listed as the No. 102 defensive end in the nation. Last season, his St. Bonaventure team went 11-2, and was ranked as the No. 14 team in the state of California. 247Sports.com gives Franke an 83 rating, with best attributes considered to be strength and “motor”, with weaknesses being athleticism and “hand quickness”. Brandon Huffman, for Scout.com, had this to say about Franke: “Jase has had a terrific spring, looking great at two different camps I saw him at and when I visited his school in the spring, before he had any offers, he was a guy who really caught my eye.  I think his best football is ahead of him, too”.

Franke had other offers from … Arizona, Miami (OH), and San Jose State. Arizona State, UCLA, Virginia, Penn State, Maryland and Boise State were showing interest. For a good part of the summer, it appeared that Arizona was the clear leader for Franke’s services. In fact, after visiting Tucson – and Arizona’s new facilities – in late July it appeared that Franke was going to be a Wildcat. “I might still get out to Colorado next month, just to observe and see what it’s like, but I’m not completely sure,” Franke told WildcatAuthority.com on July 30th. “I would like to be able to compare Arizona to another place, so the visit is a possibility”. Well, Franke did visit during the media day weekend, and committed to Colorado.

Hudl.com highlights of Franke can be found here.

YouTube highlights of Franke’s senior season:

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EDDY LOPEZ – DL

Just the facts … Committed August 5th … Lopez is a defensive line prospect from El Paso, Texas. Lopez is 6’3″, 289-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Lopez … Lopez is an unranked prospect by Rivals, and after not even in the database of recruits at Scout when he committed, is now ranked as a two-star prospect. Lopez reported that he has gained 40 pounds in the past year, which may help account for his previous lack of attention. Lopez posted 41 tackles last season (27 solo) and 3.5 sacks.

Lopez had other offers from … No other known schools. Lopez did attend a summer camp at Texas, where he reportedly turned some heads. UTEP was also reportedly interested.

Here is a link to some highlights on Hudl.com

Here is a YouTube video with some highlights from his junior season:

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EVAN WHITE – DB

Just the facts … Committed July 7th … White is a defensive back prospect from Aurora (Cherokee Trail) Colorado. White is 6’3″, 190-pounds, and reportedly runs a 4.54 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about White … White is considered to be a three-star prospect by Rivals, but a two-star prospect by Scout. Rivals rates White as the No. 7 prospect from the State of Colorado this season, while Scout has White as the No. 169 safety nationally.

As a junior, White had 88 tackles (46 solo), and seven interceptions. He also had 17 catches at wide receiver for 231 yards and two touchdowns. White was named first team all-league, conference and state. White clocked in at 11.3-seconds in the 100-meter dash, 22.25-seconds in the 200 and helped Cherokee Trail to a state championship in the 4×2-relay during track this spring.

White had other offers from … Colorado State and New Mexico State. Other schools reportedly showing an interest in White included Nebraska, UCLA, Washington, Boise State, Arizona State and Tulsa. Academics has been an issue for White, which may have had an impact on his offers. For his part, though, White does not seem qualification as an issue. “I am retaking classes”, White told ColoradoPrepReport.com in May. “By the end of the semester, they should be better grades”.

In his own words … “I have known for a while this is where I wanted to go,” White said. “It just feels right, I really like the coaches a lot and felt it was the best place for me.”

Here are some YouTube highlights from White’s junior year (You have to like his size – 6’3″, 190 – and his hands. Not sure yet about his tackling and attacking skills):

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DYLAN KEENEY – TE

Just the facts … Committed July 1st … Keeney is a tight end prospect from Granite Bay, California. Keeney is 6’5″, 215-pounds, and runs a 4.6 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Keeney … Keeney is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Scout has Keeney rated as the No. 42 tight end in the nation, and the No. 9 tight end in the West. NorCalPreps.com had this to say about Keeney, who also plays linebacker: “Long, rangy and more athletic than many realize, Keeney checks in at around 6-foot-5 and a solid 210-pounds with no bad weight. His frame is going to allow him to get significantly better so if he stays on defense his future should be at outside linebacker. Keeney is very comfortable getting out in space and covering backs and tight ends, and that part of his game separates him from some other linebackers at his level. In fact, he almost looks like a safety with his ball skills and willingness to spread out and cover. Just don’t expect him to play in the secondary in college and you will be very impressed with that aspect of his game. His anticipation skills are impressive and he does a good job of even baiting quarterbacks to make throws that shouldn’t happen”.

Keeney had other offers from … A number of western schools, including Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho, San Jose State, Sacramento State and Eastern Washington.

In his own words … “I have been thinking about it a lot lately,” Keeney told BuffPlayBook.com. “I really felt comfortable at Colorado and with their coaching staff. They made me feel very much at home.” Keeney was very impressed with the Colorado campus and the surrounding area. “It’s great up there,” Keeney said. “I really like the stadium a lot, the campus is incredible and all the mountains surrounding the campus just adds to its beauty.”

According to Keeney, Colorado is recruiting him to play tight-end, he appears to have made a great relationship with new Tight-End/Running back coach Klayton Adams. “Coach Adams is great,” Keeney said. “You can tell he is a great coach, it was great going to camp with him to see how he coaches. He is very easy to talk to about anything.”

YouTube highlights from Keeney’s junior year (focusing on his year at linebacker):

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ZACH BROWN – LB – De-committed 1/9/14

Just the facts … Committed July 1st … Brown is a linebacker prospect from San Diego, California. Brown is 6’2, 235-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Brown … Brown is considered to be a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout. Scout has Brown listed as the No. 27 middle linebacker in the nation. Last season, Brown registered 68 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and registered five sacks. Like Rick Gamboa (see below), Brown was rated as one of the top five middle linebackers from the state of California this season. Scout had this to say about Brown: “Brown has an old school feel to his game and is a throwback in a low of ways. He’s very aggressive and plays with an edge. At 6-3, 235 pounds, he’s a load and packs a wallop but can still move. He had a very good showing at the recent SoCal NIKE Camp showing he can play fast and cover a ton of ground. As Brown continues to improve his overall athleticism, he projects as a prototype middle ‘backer in a 4-3 scheme and he should be very productive in college”.

Brown had other offers from … Colorado State, San Diego State, and Army. Other schools showing interest include: Arizona, Cal, Nevada, San Jose State, UCLA and Washington.

In his own words … “Their coaches really seem to know how to coach,” Brown told BuffPlayBook.com. “I camped with them on June 19th at one of their road camps. I was really impressed”.  Brown intends on studying aerospace engineering, which played right into CU’s hand. “It was too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially from an academic standpoint,” Brown said. “Colorado has one of the best aerospace engineering programs in the country, that’s what I plan on studying.”

You Tube highlights from Brown’s junior season:

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RICK GAMBOA – LB

Just the facts … Committed June 29th … Gamboa is a linebacker prospect from West Hills, California. Gamboa is 6’0″, 217-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Gamboa … Gamboa is considered to be a three-star linebacker by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals rates Gamboa as the No. 94 overall player out of the state of California this season. Gamboa was rated by Scout as one of the top five linebackers in California, having this to say about him: “Gamboa is a rugged inside ‘backer and one of the biggest hitters in the state. He’s very smart and has an innate ability to quickly read and react to a player. He controls the defense and has a tireless work ethic. He looks to have put on about 15 pounds in the last year and playing against one of the toughest schedules in the state”.

Gamboa was named Mission League Defensive Player of the Year for the Chaminade Eagles, who went 12-2 last season. Gamboa was named the Daily News all-area Defensive Player of the Year, all-state and all-CIF after recording 160 tackles, eight sacks and one interception as a junior in 2012. Gamboa’s former teammate, wide receiver Elijah Dunston, was a member of the CU recruiting Class of 2013, arriving on the CU campus June 23rd.

Gamboa had other offers from … only Idaho and UTEP, but Gamboa reportedly had interest from other schools, including Fresno State, Boise State, Oregon State, TCU, Utah and San Jose State.

In his own words … “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the Pac 12,” Gamboa told BuffPlayBook.com. “I fell in love with Colorado on my visit there this spring, I decided today it was time to make my decision … Coach MacIntyre told me that I made him a very happy man. He said he couldn’t wait to get me back on campus and that he was very excited to have me a part of his family … I loved the way he turned the San Jose State football program around. He is very passionate about returning Colorado to its winning ways. I want to be a part of that.”

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CADE APSAY – QB

Just the facts … Committed June 18th … Apsay is a quarterback prospect from Canyon Country, California. Apsay is 6’2″, 176-pounds. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Apsay … Apsay is considered to be a three-star quarterback by both Rivals and Scout. Rivals rates Apsay as the No. 75 player out of the state of California this season, and the No. 25 pro-style quarterback nationally. Scout has Apsay listed as the No. 66 quarterback nationally. MaxPreps.com rates Apsay as the No. 52 player out of California this cycle, and the No. 432 player nationally.

This past season, for the 8-3 Canyon Cowboys, Apsay threw for 3,103 yards, with 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He completed 207 of his 321 passes, a .645 completion percentage. Apsay also ran the ball 110 times for 413 yards and four more touchdowns.

As a junior, Apsay threw for 3,333 yards, with 39 touchdown passes to 14 interceptions on 206-of-346 passing. He also ran for 341 yards and 15 touchdowns. In being voted as the Foothills Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Apsay set a number of school records, including: Passing Yards Single-Game Record = 415 yards; Passing TD Single-Game Record = 5; Passing TD Single-Season = 39; Passing Completions Single-Season = 206; Passing Yards Single-Season = 3,333; and Passing Yards per Game Single-Season = 277.

Apsay had other offers from … Arizona, New Mexico, Northern Colorado and Eastern Washington. Apsay did have interest from a number of other schools, including Oregon State, UCLA, Boise State and San Diego State.

In his own words … “There are reasons I swayed toward them: the coaches, the school itself, the education I would get, when I went to visit I really loved what I saw from the campus,” Apsay told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal when he committed in June. “I really believe coach MacIntyre and his staff can turn it around there. I’m really confident when I come I can make my mark on that turnaround … They really showed me who they are as coaches and people, especially coach Bernardi. He was straight up with me. We hit it off well.”

Is Apsay re-thinking his commitment, with CU starting a true freshman this fall? Not in the least. “I’m not concerned about that,” Apsay told BuffPlayBook.com in November. “If anything, it shows me that this coaching staff will play the best player on the team and not play someone who is a junior or senior. Sefo is a good quarterback, the competition next summer and fall camp will be great. I’m a competitor, and I’m not afraid of coming in and fighting for the job next fall. Whoever is the best quarterback will play.”

Apsay is apparently very excited about his future with Colorado. “I’m so excited it’s hard for me to explain and put into words,” Apsay said. “We got the chance to tailgate a little on Saturday (Apsay attended the CU game at UCLA on November 2nd), I couldn’t believe how many Colorado fans that were there. Everyone is so nice. Colorado is such an incredible and beautiful place, I know it’s where I belong”.

YouTube highlights of Apsay:

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CHANCE WAZ – CB – Decommitted November 25th

Just the facts … Committed June 11th … Committed to Nebraska, then de-committed from the Cornhuskers and committed to Baylor. Waz is a cornerback prospect from Pflugerville, Texas.  Waz is 5’11”, 173-pounds, and has been timed at 4.5 in the 40. Rivals bio  Scout bio

What others say about Waz … Waz is rated as a two-star cornerback by Rivals; and unrated wide receiver by Scout. Waz earned first-team all-district honors after tallying 116 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries while playing safety as a junior. According to Waz, Colorado is recruiting the wide receiver/defensive back to play on the defensive side of the ball. “They are wanting me to play corner,” Waz told BuffPlaybook.com. “I will play whereever they need me to play.”

Waz had other offers from … Utah, North Texas, UTEP, Texas State and Arkansas State. He had also been hearing from Baylor, Kansas State, Michigan State, Oklahoma and TCU among others.

In his own words … “Some coaches don’t care about you personally, they just want you to play football for them,” Waz said. “Coach Mac and his staff seem to want to build personal relationships with you, care about you on and off the field. Coach Mac said he wants to develop and help all of his players to make it to the NFL, what high school athlete don’t want to make it to the next level.” Waz feels that he learned a lot from the Colorado coaches. “They are great teachers,” Waz said. “They are really cool coaches, very personable and easy to talk to.”

YouTube highlights of Waz’s junior year:

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GRANT WATANABE – ILB

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

What others say about Watanabe … Watanabe is rated as a three-star linebacker by Rivals, but it not yet rated by Scout. Watanabe was named the Defensive Player of the Year in San Antonio in 2012 after he recorded 167 tackles, 27 for a loss, three sacks and four interceptions. He was also a junior All-American, first-team all-state, first-team all-city and unanimous first-team all-district selection. Grant’s older brother, Ethan Watanabe, is a tight end at Hawai’i. Watanabe has two uncles that played collegiately at BYU. And he currently has three relatives playing in the NFL: cousin Stanley Havili plays fullback for the Indianapolis Colts, uncle Tony Moeaki plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and second cousin Paul Soliai plays defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins … impressive lineage.

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

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

You Tube highlights from Watanabe’s junior year (he may not be big, but he can hit, and he has a nose for the ball):

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ISAAC MILLER – OL

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

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

Miller has a 4.2 GPA, so qualifying should not be an issue. “I’m extremely excited for Isaac for a lot of reasons,” Raptors head coach Mike Apodaca told the Daily Camera. “One, he can concentrate now on his senior year, both academically and athletically. That’s a great thing when you have that out of the way. And I’m excited for Isaac to be close, to be honest.”

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

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

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

Tags: Ankello Witherspoon, Cade Apsay, Chance Waz, Christian Shaver, Donovan Lee, Dylan Keeney, Eddy Lopez, Elijah Rodriguez, Evan White, Grant Watanabe, Hayden Jones, Isaac Miller, Jaisen Sanchez, Jase Franke, Jomon Dotson, Josh Kaiser, Lee Walker, Michael Mathewes, Rick Gamboa, Sam Bennion, Shay Fields, Sully Wiefels, Terran Hasselbach, Wyatt Smith, Zach Brown
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