Latest news with #XavierPayne
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Colorado's updated 2026 recruiting class ranking after several July commitments
Colorado football secured four recruiting wins to begin July, which have drastically improved their class of 2026. Offensive tackles Colby Johnson and Xavier Payne, along with defensive back D'Montae Tims and linebacker Carson Crawford, all joined the Buffs since July 1. The four additions raise Colorado's recruiting class to eight total commitments after a slow start to this year's cycle. After spending much of the spring outside the top 100 nationally, the Buffs are now No. 88 in the nation but still rank last in the Big 12. Deion Sanders and company still have plenty of work to do if they want another top 25 recruiting class, but with the recent wave of commitments and a few others expected soon, momentum is building. Many have suggested that Deion Sanders' absence from the program while dealing with an unspecified health issue has hurt Colorado's recruiting efforts. However, with Sanders back with the team after his appearance at Big 12 media days this week, it suggests the program's recruiting efforts are looking up as the program gears up to begin preseason camp in a couple of weeks. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads, and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colorado official visit gives OL Xavier Payne flip option 'to think about'
The official visit slate has been a busy one for Xavier Payne this month. The Central New York native, now prepping at Miami (Fla.) Edison High School, took a midweek official visit to Colorado most recently and Coach Prime's program made a strong impression on the longtime Florida State Seminoles verbal commitment. Advertisement "It was great," Payne told Rivals. "The best part was being to sit down with the offensive line coaches and truly building that connection while getting to see their plan for me and how I fit into the program. "As I was sitting in the room it really hit me how much NFL experience is on the staff. So not only do they know how to get there because they did it, but also because they have sent so many in their years of coaching." It was the big blocker's first time in Boulder. "The main coaches with me were the entire offensive line group and mainly coach Gunnar (White)," Payne said. "The place has definitely given me some things to think about. Advertisement "I meshed really well there. Don't count them out of my recruitment." CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State Payne even got to match wits with one of the most notable Buff players at the position in Jordan Seaton. The former five-star ran into the top recruit and something clicked. "Me and Seaton actually got on the board for a little and compared my high school plays and showed me how they would run it," he said. "We both love the game deeply and love talking football. Like him sitting with me wasn't because of the coaches, he had just popped up in the offensive line room to hang a poster up and we just hit it off." Advertisement The Freshman All-American's time with the freshman-to-be emphasized how CU could potentially utilize the versatile blocker should he choose the program. "They visualize me as a tackle and told me exactly what I have to fix to become a great tackle rather than interior," he said. "They also showed me to the drills on exactly how those issues would be fixed before college." Payne, who has also taken an official visit to Syracuse and plans to return to Florida State this weekend, says the December pledge to the Seminoles remains a strong one. "This weekend will reveal a lot," he said. "After FSU I'm done. And where I'm at is where I'm at. My recruitment will be shut down by the end of this month or early next month."
