Colorado has spent June building real momentum on the recruiting trail, and now the Buffaloes are trying to turn that run into another major win with four-star offensive lineman Nate Carson.
Deion Sanders’ program closed the month with nine verbal commits, a surge that pushed Colorado into the top 45 of the recruiting rankings on both 247Sports and On3/Rivals. July could bring more movement, and Carson is one of the biggest names still in play.
The 6-4, 285-pound lineman from Irmo, South Carolina, is scheduled to announce his decision on July 3, and Colorado has positioned itself with several selling points. The Buffaloes have already put together a strong 2027 offensive line group, headlined by four-star tackle Li'Marcus Jones, who is Colorado’s highest-ranked current pledge.
That trench success matters because Colorado has been winning some battles that usually tilt toward the SEC. Jones was recruited by Alabama, Ole Miss and Mississippi State before landing with the Buffaloes, and Colorado also flipped Ole Miss commit Coderro McDaniel in June after his official visit to Boulder.
The Buffaloes have kept adding more evidence that they can pull talent from tough places. Three-star Jaylin Talib of Allen High in Texas - the nephew of Super Bowl-winning cornerback Aqib Talib - chose Colorado over Texas Tech. Another three-star, Zaquan Linton, picked the Buffaloes despite offers from Florida and National Championship Game runner-up Miami.
Colorado also has a connection point in Carson’s home state. Wide receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray flipped from South Carolina to the Buffaloes just one month ago, giving Carson a Palmetto State name already in the class.
If Carson ends up in Boulder, he would immediately be in the conversation as Colorado’s top-rated recruit in the cycle.
On the field, Carson brings the kind of profile offensive line coaches love. He uses a strong base and violent upper-body strength, and his hand placement stands out because it keeps pass rushers from getting to an inside counter move. He also shows a solid kick-back step that helps him stay in front of defenders.
That should appeal to quarterback commit Andre Adams, who would benefit from Carson’s pass protection, while Colorado’s run game would welcome the road-clearing power.
Still, the Buffaloes have work to do. On3/Rivals gives Georgia the best odds to land Carson at 57 percent, and Chad Simmons of On3 reported that the recruitment has shifted as the decision nears.
"Tennessee led early. Georgia gained momentum after its official visit.
South Carolina was always there, and they hosted the final visit. Now the Gamecocks are buzzing with the commitment date approaching," Simmons wrote.
"Nobody has been more consistent in this recruitment than coach Shane Beamer and his staff.
South Carolina landing Carson would be a major local win for the Gamecocks, but Colorado’s recent success in recruiting offensive linemen keeps the Buffaloes firmly in the picture.
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