Colorado Buffaloes Must Prioritize In-State Recruiting Under Deion Sanders

Keeping top Colorado prospects home is crucial for the Buffaloes' long-term success.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Since Deion Sanders took over as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, the team has not prioritized recruiting in-state prospects. As the 2027 recruiting cycle heats up, the Buffaloes must make a concerted effort to build a 'wall' around Colorado and keep the top high school players in the state from leaving for other programs.

Why it matters

Recruiting top in-state talent is crucial for the Buffaloes to build a consistent, competitive program. Losing Colorado's best players to out-of-state schools like USC weakens the Buffaloes' roster and makes it harder for them to compete in the Big 12 conference and reach the College Football Playoff.

The details

Under Sanders, the Buffaloes have heavily relied on the transfer portal rather than high school recruiting. In the 2026 class, Colorado had just one in-state commit, four-star offensive tackle Josiah Manu. The 2025 and 2024 classes also lacked significant Colorado representation. This lack of in-state focus has led to criticism of the Buffaloes' recruiting efforts and makes it difficult for the program to build long-term consistency.

  • The 2027 recruiting cycle is currently underway.
  • In the 2026 class, USC signed two offensive linemen from Colorado.
  • The Buffaloes faced a mass exodus through the transfer portal after the 2025 season, losing 36 players.

The players

Deion Sanders

The current head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, who has not prioritized in-state recruiting since taking over the program.

Josiah Manu

A four-star offensive tackle from the 2026 recruiting class, one of the few in-state commits for Colorado under Sanders.

Carson Crawford

A four-star linebacker in Colorado's 2026 recruiting class, one of the top prospects the Buffaloes have landed.

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What’s next

The Buffaloes must make a concerted effort to offer and recruit Colorado's top high school prospects early in the 2027 recruiting cycle, bringing them in for visits and building relationships to keep them home.

The takeaway

Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes need to prioritize recruiting in-state talent if they want to build a consistent, competitive program. Losing the best players from Colorado to out-of-state schools weakens the Buffaloes' roster and makes it harder for them to succeed in the Big 12 and compete for a national championship.