After four-star athlete Kam Mikell committed to Colorado on Thursday and the Buffaloes fought Utah tough to close out the season, it seemed like the program was picking up momentum going into winter recruiting.
Now? The loss to Utah was immediately followed by three decommitments from high school recruits, two of which came on Monday. The program must adjust and find new prospects who can play the needed roles.
On Monday morning, three-star 2024 quarterback Danny O’Neil decommitted from the Buffaloes, according to On3. Not long after, three-star 2025 running back Jamarice Wilder announced through On3 that he, too, has re-opened his recruitment.
BREAKING: Class of 2025 RB Jamarice Wilder tells me he has Decommitted from Colorado
The 5’9 185 RB from Venice, FL had been Committed to the Buffaloes since August
Wilder is Colorado’s 3rd decommitment in a 24 hour span https://t.co/7vSfDvGUkF pic.twitter.com/Yvrb0KxfHq
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) November 27, 2023
These decommitments follow that of 4-star 2025 quarterback Antwann Hill, who re-opened his recruitment but said Colorado remains “a top priority.”
O’Neil, listed at 6-foot and 185, helped Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) reach the regional championships in his final high school season. As a senior, he completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,086 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing 118 times for 722 yards.
He is ranked on the 247Sports Composite as the No. 40 quarterback in the class of 2024. If junior QB Shedeur Sanders, son of head coach Deion Sanders, decides to enter the NFL draft, 2023 QB commit Ryan Staub may have the upper hand in the quarterback competition for next season.
Wilder, listed as 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, is ranked as the No. 51 running back on the 247Sports Composite. At Venice (Fla.), he has rushed for 1,040 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior, with the team set to play in the semifinals this weekend.
Neither of those recruits was ranked particularly highly when compared to the levels of some highly touted recruits in the last couple of years, but it still stings Colorado to lose them. The Buffaloes have just nine hard commits in the class of 2024. While that is headlined by four-star players Mikell and Aaron Butler, Houston is the only Big 12 team with fewer, according to 247Sports. Three schools in the conference have 20 or more as of Nov. 27.
Walker was the only remaining player in the class of 2025 to be committed to Colorado. There is plenty of time to make up ground, but the solid start for the Buffaloes’ recruiting class has receded.
Colorado finished 4-8 with one conference win in its final season in the Pac-12. The program will join the Big 12 next season.
