Colorado’s recruiting momentum under Deion Sanders has picked up in a big way this offseason, with the Buffaloes landing 19 commits for the 2027 class. That group currently sits at No. 42 nationally and No. 4 in the Big 12.
With that in mind, it makes sense to look back at Sanders’ previous recruiting classes and identify the top player from each one. The 2026 class is not part of the discussion because those players are entering their freshman season.
For the 2025 class, quarterback Julian Lewis stands out as the best player so far. The four-star recruit saw the field in four games last season and made two starts, gaining some useful experience that could matter a lot in 2026. He finished his freshman year with 589 passing yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 55.3 percent completion rate.
Lewis carried plenty of expectations into college, but the roster around him was not ready to compete last season. That was part of why Colorado finished 3-9 and why Sanders waited until late in the year to put Lewis in the starting role.
The setup around Lewis should be much better next season. Colorado has improved protection up front, added strong weapons, and brought in new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who has helped develop several quarterbacks successfully. With that kind of support, Lewis has a real chance to establish himself as Colorado’s quarterback for 2026 and beyond.
Honorable mentions from that class are Quentin Gibson, Quannell Farakhan Jr., and Chauncey Gooden.
The best player from the 2024 class is clearly offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who lived up to his five-star billing across his first two seasons. As a freshman, he started all 12 games and gave up just three sacks on 612 pass-blocking snaps. That performance earned him All-Big 12 Coaches Honorable Mention Offensive Lineman and All-Big 12 Coaches Honorable Mention Freshman of the Year recognition.
Seaton took another step in his sophomore year, allowing only one sack in the nine games he started. He did miss the final three games because of injury, but he still landed on the All-Big 12 Second Team. After the season, Seaton entered the transfer portal and has decided to play for the LSU Tigers in 2026.
Colorado will have a difficult time replacing a player like Seaton. He was a five-star recruit and has the talent to be one of the better offensive tackles in the country. Still, after adding multiple tackles through the transfer portal and high school recruiting, the Buffaloes may already have his replacement on the roster.
The top player from Sanders’ first Colorado class in 2023 is wide receiver Omarion Miller. His early seasons were relatively quiet, with 11 catches for 234 yards and a touchdown as a freshman, then 10 receptions for 216 yards and another score as a sophomore.
That limited production came in part because Colorado had plenty of other pass-catchers drawing the targets, including Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., LaJohntay Wester, and Xavier Weaver. Once those players moved on to the NFL after the 2024 season, Miller had a much clearer path to the top of the depth chart.
He took full advantage in 2025, posting 45 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. That breakout season made him Colorado’s top receiver and earned him All-Big 12 Second Team honors. After the year, Miller entered the transfer portal and will play for the Arizona State Sun Devils next season.
Losing Miller will sting, but Colorado’s receiver room still looks strong thanks to a heavy transfer portal focus, which could help the Buffaloes spread the ball around and keep defenses under pressure.
In Other News...
Coach Prime Still Has One Massive Colorado Decision To Make
Colorados offseason has been about adding talent and reworking the staff, but the real work is still ahead as fall camp approaches. Deion Sanders and his staff have a few major lineup calls to settle before the 2026 season, and the biggest ones are the kind that can shape everything from the offenses identity to how steady the defense looks on the back end.
One of the more intriguing battles is at cornerback, where Cree Thomas appears set on one side but the other spot remains open with several players in the mix. Up front, Colorado is still searching for the right five on the offensive line after spring practice, and those decisions will matter just as much as the quarterback conversation as the Buffaloes try to turn all that new depth into a more complete team. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Ramsey Just Gave Deion Sanders And Colorado A Huge Endorsement
Jalen Ramseys visit to Colorados leadership retreat gave Deion Sanders another notable endorsement from one of the NFLs top defensive backs, and it fit the message Sanders has been selling since arriving in Boulder. Ramsey spoke to Buffaloes players during the retreat and said he modeled parts of his own game after Sanders, a reminder of how much pull Sanders still has with elite defensive talent even after moving from the sideline to the college ranks.
For Colorado, the timing mattered as much as the name attached to it. The retreat was designed to help the Buffaloes build leadership after a difficult season, and hearing from a player like Ramsey only reinforces the idea that Sanders influence still resonates beyond campus. It also adds to the sense that Colorados path forward will depend not just on talent, but on whether the program can turn that kind of respect into a stronger locker room. [Read more 🡒]
Randon Fontenette Showed Exactly What Coach Prime Wants At Colorado
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For Colorado, the significance is bigger than one afternoon in Houston. Fontenettes charitable work lines up with Coach Primes emphasis on character and community involvement, and it gives the Buffaloes another example of a player embracing that standard away from football. If he keeps showing that kind of initiative, it is easy to see Fontenette becoming one of the voices the program leans on in 2026. [Read more 🡒]