Colorado Buffs up its 2026 recruiting class

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders addresses the media. (Photo by Ryan Asaro/Sko Buffs Sports)

As National Signing Day wraps up and the 2026 recruitment cycle begins to take its place, the Colorado Buffaloes continue their roster rebuild under head coach Deion Sanders. 

After the departures of many significant Buffaloes during the transfer portal, the 2026 recruitment class has had many holes to fill. Since CU’s last portal update, when the program added 41 new transfers, the staff has supplemented 15 new high school commitments. 

The Buffs previously added 16 offensive players via the portal, including quarterback Isaac Wilson, three running backs, four wide receivers, a tight end and eight offensive linemen. 

Now, Colorado has added six more offensive pieces from high schools across the nation. 

In the backfield, the Buffaloes added a pair of three-stars in quarterback Kanual Sweetwyne (Lehi, Utah) and runningback Cam Newton (Prosper, Texas).

Sweetwyne brings size and depth to an already crowded quarterback room, while Newton can provide speed and versatility to an offense that needs to be able move the rock in the 2026 campaign.

At receiver, Christian Ward (Bradenton, Florida) stands out at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, giving Colorado another lengthy target on the outside.

Perhaps most importantly, Colorado continued its interest in the trenches, snatching three different O-Linemen during recruitment.

Xavier Payne (Orlando, FL) stands out as an exciting prospect, standing at a towering 6-foot-7, 320 pounds. Alongside Payne will be three-star tackle Josiah Manu (Loveland, CO) and three-star interior O-Linemen Ben Gula (Fort Lauderdale, FL).

Headlining the other side of the ball is four-star linebacker Carson Crawford, hailing from Carthage, Texas. Regarded as a player capable of making an instant difference, Crawford is expected to elevate the Buffaloes’ defense right away.

He’s joined by linebackers Rodney Colton Jr. (Newman, GA) and Colby Johnson (Sammamish, WA), adding depth and competition to the position room.

In the secondary, the Buffaloes added three more three-star defensive backs. Preston Ashley (Brandon, MS) and Braylon Edwards (Duncanville, TX) will join the safeties, while Maurice Williams (New Orleans, LA) will compete among the cornerbacks.

Colorado also secured three versatile athletes who can play multiple positions on the field. 

Three-star athlete Alexander Ward (Bradenton, FL) flipped his commitment from Alabama to Colorado in late 2025 to join his brother Christian Ward (WR). Alexander aims to make an impact on both sides of the ball in college, much like former Buffs standout Travis Hunter. 

Alongside the Ward brothers will be two more all-around athletes in Domata Peko Jr. (Ventura, CA) and Jacob Swain (Melissa, TX).

In total, Colorado has added 56 players between the transfer portal and high school so far. 

While the sheer volume of players stands out, Colorado’s mission is simple: fix the trenches and rebuild a defense capable of producing impact players.

Sanders’ roster transformation remains aggressive, and with the 2026 cycle still unfolding, the Buffs may not be done yet.

CU’s Black and Gold Spring Game, set for April 11 at 1 p.m. MT, will be an early proving ground for the Buffs’ newest additions. This is head coach Deion Sanders 4th annual season coaching a spring game.