*****Colorado Buffaloes Class of 2012*****

[Duff Man]

Read-only thread that will be updated throughout the day as letters of intent are confirmed.

Transfers into 2012 class (eligible)
TX - TNFR Connor Wood

Early enrollees from 2012 class (Signed)
CO FB Clay Norgard

National signing day commitments (Signed)
TX TE Sean Irwin
TX OT Jeromy Irwin
NJ CB Yuri Wright
TX RB Terrence Crowder
TX WR Peyton Williams
MO TE Austin Ray
TX TE Vincent Hobbs
LA CB Jeffrey Hall
TX WR Jeffrey Thomas
CA DL Samson Kafovalu
TX WR Gerald Thomas
CA DE Johnny Stuart
CA DT Josh Tupou
CA DT Justin Solis
DC CB Kenneth Crawley
DC CB John Walker
DC DE De´Jon Wilson
CA FB Christian Powell
CA RB Davien Payne
CA RB Donta Abron
CA CB Marques Mosley
CA QB Shane Dillon
HI DT Kory Rasmussen
CO DT Tyler Henington
AZ DE Kisima Jange

 

[Duff Man]

Sean Irwin

Tight End
Cy-Fair High School
Cypress, TX

HT: 6'4"
WT: 225

Rivals rating: 3*-5.5rr
Scout rating: 3* (#39 TE)
ESPN rating: 3*-75 grade (#72 TE)
247 Sports rating: 3*-82 rating (#49 TE)

Irwin joins the CU football progream with his brother Jeremy out of the Houston area. He received all-district honors as a junior with nearly 300 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns. He was primed for a big senior season, but broke his leg during fall two-a-days and missed almost his entire senior season. He committed to the Buffs in late August and should push for immediate playing time at tight end. He chose the Buffs over offers from Boise State, Louisville, Wake Forest, and several small schools.

 

[Duff Man]

Jeromy Irwin

Offensive Tackle
Cy-Fair High School
Cypress, TX

HT: 6'5"
WT: 290

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr
Scout: 3* (#89 OT)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#47 OT)
247 Sports: 3*-82 rating (#106 OT)

Irwin will arrive in Boulder out of the Houston area with his brother Sean. He played guard for Cy-Fair and helped anchor a Cy-Fair team reach the round of 16 in the Texas 5A Division I playoffs, and was a unanimous all-district selection in both his junior and senior seasons. Irwin projects as either a tackle or guard at the college level and should provide immediate depth along the offensive line. He committed to the Buffs in late August just before his senior year of football started. He chose the Buffs over offers from Boise State, Louisville, Wake Forest, and several smaller schools. Irwin also received heavy interest from several other BCS schools.

 

[Duff Man]

Clay Norgard

Fullback
Mountain Vista High School
Highlands Ranch, CO

HT: 6'1"
WT: 235

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr (#4 FB)
Scout: 3* (#105 DE)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#56 DE)
247 Sports: 3*-84 rating (#78 OLB)

The first commitment of the class, Norgard is also the first player of the class to arrive on campus, having enrolled in January. An All-Colorado selection as a junior and senior, Norgard is following in the footsteps of his father (former CU standout offensive lineman and longtime NFL player Erik). Although he played several different positions on defense in high school, Norgard will enter spring practices with an opportunity to win the starting fullback job as a true freshman. He committed to the Buffs in March and joins Tyler Henington as the in-state preps in this class. Norgard likely would have received heavy interest from many BCS schools if he had not committed early.

 

[Jens1893]

Terrence Crowder

Running Back
Galena Park High School
Galena Park, TX

HT: 5'10
WT: 206

Rivals: 2*-5.2rr
Scout: 3*-#98 RB
ESPN: 2*-74 grade (#106 RB)
247 Sports: 3*-86 rating (#40 RB)

Crowder arrived on the radar of the CU coaching staff after a strong junior season with over 1300 yards rushing and 15 TDs which netted him all-district honors. He committed to the Buffs in June and was poised for a strong season. However, his senior campaign lasted five carries before a torn ACL ended his high school career. Barring a setback in his rehabilitation, a motivated Crowder could be in the mix for early playing time at running back. He chose the Buffs over several small-school offers.

 

[Jens1893]

Yuri Wright

Cornerback
Don Bosco Preparatory High School
Ramsey, NJ

HT: 6'2"
WT: 180

Rivals rating: 4*-5.9rr; #7 CB (#85 overall)
Scout rating: 4*; #10 CB
ESPN rating: 4*-82 grade; #4 CB (#40 overall)
247s rating: 4*-96 grade; #4 CB (#48 overall)

No other prospect in this class has received more attention, both on and off the field, than Wright. An Army All-American selection, Wright is a consensus top 100 player nationally and helped Don Bosco win the mythical high school national championship as a senior. Those accomplishments were overshadowed by his expulsion in January from Don Bosco after tweets from Wright were made public. Wright should get a fresh start at CU under the guidance of secondary coach Greg Brown. With arguably the highest ceiling of any prospect in the class, but also a rawness to his game, Wright will probably make it on to the field as a true freshman, but it is not guaranteed. Wright first visited Boulder back in the spring for Junior Day and then visited again on an official visit in December. He ultimately chose the Buffs shortly after the Twitter controversy broke. It is unclear how many schools were still recruiting Wright at that time, but he had offers from dozens of BCS schools for most of the process.

 

[Jens1893]

Austin Ray

Tight End
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, MO

HT: 6'6"
WT: 235

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 3* (#34 TE)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#29 TE)
247 Sports: 3*-82 rating (#47 TE)

Joining the Buffs from a non-traditional recruiting locale, Ray is one of three tight ends in the 2012 class. As a senior, Ray earned Central Missouri All-District honors, finishing with 388 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns. With an open depth chart at tight end, Ray should compete immediately for playing time. A longtime commitment to Ole Miss, Ray re-opened his recruitment after Houston Nutt was fired. He switched his commitment to the Buffs shortly after his official visit to Boulder in November and chose the Buffs over several BCS offers.

 

[Jens1893]

Vincent Hobbs

Tight End
Dr. John Horn High School
Mesquite, TX

HT: 6'3"
WT: 230

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr (#31 TE)
Scout: 3*-#61 TE
ESPN: 2*-73 grade (#100 TE)
247 Sports: 3*-85 rating (#33 TE)

Hobbs joins the Buffs as a result of renewed recruiting efforts in the Dallas area. He garnered all-district honors after a stellar senior season of leading his team in receiving with over 500 yards receiving. He was offered by the Buffaloes coaching staff late in the process and committed on his official visit in late January. Raw and still relatively new to the tight end position, Hobbs is a redshirt candidate when he arrives on campus. He chose the Buffs over several small schools and heavy interest from the in-state Texas Longhorns.

 

[Jens1893]

Jeffrey Hall

Cornerback
Saint Charles Catholic High School
La Place, LA

HT: 5'11"
WT: 180

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 2* WR
ESPN: 2* ATH-68 grade
247 Sports: 2*-78 rating (#127 CB)

An accomplished two-sport athlete whom has played several different positions on the gridiron, Hall joins the Buffs as the latest in a long line of prep players from the Pelican State to make his way to Boulder. He has played offense, defense, and special teams at various times in his high school career, but will start his career at CU as a cornerback. As a senior, he played cornerback for the first time, recording nine interceptions and accounting for 7 touchdowns on offense and special teams in helping his team to a perfect 15-0 record and the 3A state championship. With his versatility on special teams, Hall figures to be in the mix for early playing time. He chose the Buffs late in the process over offers from Arizona, Indiana, Kansas State and several small schools.

 

[Jens1893]

Shane Dillon

Quarterback
Christian High School
El Cajon, CA

HT: 6'5"
WT: 185

Rivals: 3*-5.7rr (#13 PS QB)
Scout: 3*-#28 QB
ESPN: 3*-77 grade (#51 QB)
247 Sports: 3*-88 rating (#21 PS QB)

One of the top quarterback prospects in the West for the 2012 class, Dillon will arrive on the CU campus as one of the most highly decorated prep quarterback prospects the Buffs have landed in years. A solid junior netted BCS conference offers and Dillon committed to the Buffs in May. Two months later, Dillon competed in the prestigious Elite 11 competition that brings together the nation's top prep quarterback prospects. Dillon was impressive and ultimately finished 7th. He rode that momentum into his senior season and capped off a stellar prep career by leading his team to the CIF San Diego Division V championship, amassing over 3200 yards and 32 total touchdowns along the way. Dillon could be in the mix for the backup quarterback spot in fall camp. He chose the Buffs over offers from Arizona, Cincinnati, Florida State, Ohio State, and Vanderbilt.

 

[Jens1893]

Samson Kafovalu

Defensive Tackle
Arlington High School
Riverside, CA

HT: 6'3"
WT: 255

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 3* (#64 DE)
ESPN: 2*-74 grade (#122 DT)
247 Sports: 3*-85 rating (#59 DT)

A versatile defensive line prospect whom played every position along the line as a senior, Kafovalu joins the CU program out of the talent-laden Inland Empire. An All-Region selection by ESPN as a senior, in addition to first-team All Central Division honors, Kafovalu first appeared on the radar of college coaches with standout camp performances last spring. The Buffs were the first to offer him and he visited officially in October before committing in December. He projects as a defensive tackle for the Buffs, which means a redshirt year is likely. Kafovalu chose CU over several PAC-12 offers.

 

[Jens1893]

Justin Solis

Defensive Tackle
Westlake High School
Westlake Village, CA

HT: 6'3"
WT: 290

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr (#45 DT)
Scout: 3* (#36 DT)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#48 DT)
247 Sports: 3*-82 rating (#82 DT)

The centerpiece of a big defensive line class, Solis joins the CU program after completing a stellar prep career in one of the most competitive leagues in southern California. As a senior, Solis compiled over 100 tackles and had 7 sacks in route to being named All-CIF Southern Section Northern Division Defensive Player of the Year. He played an integral role in leading Westlake to the CIF Southern Section Championship and a berth in the CIF state championship open division bowl game. Solis committed to the Buffs in July after initially visiting the campus for Junior Day in April. With a depleted depth chart along the defensive line, Solis will be counted on to contribute early as a freshman. He chose CU over several other BCS offers.

 

[Duff Man]

Josh Tupou

Defensive Tackle
Buena Park High School
Buena Park, CA

HT: 6'4"
WT: 300

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 3* (#69 DT)
ESPN: NR
247 Sports: 3*-83 rating (#73 DT)

 

[Duff Man]

Jeffrey Thomas

Wide Receiver
Duncanville High School
Duncanville, TX

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr
Scout: 3* (#118 WR)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#119 WR)
247 Sports: 3*-83 rating (#136 WR)

 

[Duff Man]

Gerald Thomas

Wide Receiver
The Colony High School
The Colony, TX

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 3* (#150 WR)
ESPN: 3*-75 grade (#148 WR)
247 Sports: 3*-87 rating (#46 ATH)

 

[Duff Man]

Johnny Stuart

Defensive End
Westlake High School
Westlake Village, CA

Rivals: 2*-5.4rr
Scout: 3* (#97 DE)
ESPN: 3*-75 grade (#144 DE)
247 Sports: 2*-78 rating (#82 WDE)

 

[Duff Man]

John Walker

Cornerback
Howard D. Woodson High School
Washington, D.C.

HT: 6'0"
WT: 175

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 2* (#182 CB)
ESPN: 3*-77 grade (#51 CB)
247 Sports: NR

 

[Duff Man]

Kenneth Crawley

Cornerback
Howard D. Woodson High School
Washington, D.C.

HT: 6'1"
WT: 170

Rivals: 4*-5.8rr (#22 CB)
Scout: 3* (#44 CB)
ESPN: 4*-79 grade (#18 CB)
247 Sports: 3*-89 rating (#24 CB)

Crawley joins the CU program as part of a notable H.D. Woodson contingent with teammates John Walker and De'Jon Walker. One of the most sought after cornerbacks on the east coast, Crawley was an All-Met First Team selection by the Washington Post. He is a true cover corner as well as an accomplished kick returner on special teams, finishing with 5 interceptions and returning two kicks for touchdowns as a senior. A longtime commitment to Tennessee, he visited Boulder in December and eventually chose the Buffs in late January. Arguably the top overall player in the class, Crawley should see immediate playing time. He chose the Buffs over nearly 30 other schools.

 

[Duff Man]

Kisima Jagne

Defensive End
Chandler High School
Chandler, AZ

HT: 6'5"
WT: 235

Rivals: 3*-5.7rr (#28 SDE)
Scout: 3* (#54 DE)
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#52 DE)
247 Sports: 3*-88 rating (#32 WDE)

A two-sport standout on both the gridiron and the hardwood, Jagne joins the CU program out of the talent-rich Phoenix metro area. He will focus on football in Boulder and looks to build upon an impressive prep career that included all-region honors in both his junior and senior seasons. Raw and athletic, Jagne has arguably the highest upside of any prospect in the entire class. With a thin depth chart at defensive line, he may be counted on to contribute early. He visited CU officially in November and committed a month later. Jagne chose the Buffs over multiple BCS offers, including several PAC-12 schools.

 

[Duff Man]

Christian Powell

Fullback
Upland High School
Upland, CA

HT: 5'11"
WT: 250

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr (#55 ATH)
Scout: 3* (#3 FB)
ESPN: 3*-75 grade (#3 FB)
247 Sports: 3*-82 rating (#7 FB)

A versatile athlete and the most decorated player out of the Upland trio signing with CU, Powell brings to the program a physical presence it has missed for several years. As a senior, he starred on both sides of the ball, compiling 400 yards and 7 touchdowns rushing the football while amassing 15 sacks on defense. For his efforts, Powell was named All-CIF Inland Division and ESPNLA named him the Inland Empire's Defensive MVP. He will start his career as a Buff at fullback and should compete immediately for playing time. He visited the Buffs in December with his Upland teammates, but looked to be headed to UCLA after committing there in early January, but he switched to CU just before signing day. Powell chose the Buffs over offers from Nebraska, Texas A&M, UCLA, and Washington.

 

[Duff Man]

Davien Payne

Running Back
Citrus Hill High School
Perris, CA

HT: 5'11"
WT: 210

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr (#46 RB)
Scout: 3* (#57 RB)
ESPN: 3*-77 grade (#49 RB)
247 Sports: 3*-89 rating (#3 FB)

 

[Duff Man]

De'Jon Wilson

Defensive End
Howard D. Woodson High School
Washington, D.C.

HT: 6'3"
WT: 235

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr
Scout: 3* (#135 DE)
ESPN: 3*-75 grade (#165 DE)
247 Sports: 2*-76 rating (#91 SDE)

 

[Duff Man]

Donta Abron

[SUB]Running Back
Upland High School
Upland, CA

HT: 5'9"
WT: 187

Rivals: 2*-5.4rr
Scout: 2*-#113 RB
ESPN: 3*-78 grade (#34 RB)
247 Sports: 2*-75 rating (#129 RB)

[/SUB][SUB]Abron joins the CU program after shining as a senior for one of the top teams in southern California. He was named to the All-CIF Inland Division team after amassing over 1700 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns. With an open depth chart at running back, Abron will have a chance for early playing time and could be one of the surprises of the class. Abron committed to the Buffs in December after his official visit and chose the Buffs over offers from a handful of MWC and WAC schools.

[/SUB]

 

[Duff Man]

Marques Mosley

Defensive Back
Upland High School
Upland, CA

HT: 6'1"
WT: 175

Rivals: 3*-5.5rr ATH
Scout: 2* CB
ESPN: 3*-75 grade (#91 S)
247 Sports: 2*-78 rating (#155 ATH)

A versatile two-way athlete whom also starred on special teams, Mosley joins the CU program as part of a notable Inland Empire contingent. As a senior, he played extensively at both wide receiver and cornerback, notching 9 touchdown catches and 59 tackles. The Buffaloes coaching staff recruited Mosley as a defensive back and he will likely start his college career at cornerback, although safety could also be an option. With an open depth chart across the secondary, he will have a chance to see the field as a true freshman. He committed to the Buffs shortly after his official visit in December. Mosley chose the Buffs over offers from Nebraska, Michigan State, and Oregon State.

 

[Duff Man]

Kory Rasmussen

Defensive Tackle
Kamehameha School
Honolulu, HI

HT: 6'3"
WT: 255

Rivals: 2*-5.4rr
Scout: 3* (#84 DT)
ESPN: 1*-66 rating (#196 DT)
247 Sports: 2*-74 rating (#148 DT)

The latest in a long line of players from the Aloha State, Rasmussen joins the CU program as part of a large defensive line class. Rasmussen was named to the ESPNHS All-Hawaii team as a senior as he led his team to a 6-1 league and narrowly missed a berth in the Division I state tournament. He took an official visit to Boulder in November and committed to the Buffs in December. He is projected as a defensive tackle for CU and is a likely redshirt candidate. Rasmussen chose the Buffs over offers from Arizona, Cal, Utah, Washington, and Hawaii.

 

[Duff Man]

Tyler Henington

Defensive Tackle
J.K. Mullen High School
Denver, CO

HT: 6'3"
WT: 282

Rivals: 3*-5.6rr
Scout: 3* (#63 DT)
ESPN: 3*-79 grade (#38 DT)
247 Sports: 3*-86 rating (#52 DT)

Crowned the Colorado Defensive Player of the Year by the Denver Post, Henington joins the Buffs out of the powerhouse Mullen program. As a senior, he recorded 90 tackles and 6 sacks. In addition to his accolades on the football field, Henington is also an accomplished wrestler, reaching the state quarterfinals in his weight class as a junior. One of the earliest commitments in the class, Henington joins Clay Norgard as the in-state signees for the 2012 class. With a depleted depth chart across the defensive line, Henington will have a chance to earn early playing time. He committed to the Buffs back in March over offers from Syracuse and UCLA, he was also drawing interest from several PAC-12 and Big 12 schools.

 

[Duff Man]

Gerrad Kough

Offensive Line
Pomona High School
Pomona, CA

HT: 6'5"
WT: 270

Rivals: 2*-5.4rr
Scout: 2* (#103 OG)
ESPN: 3*-76 grade (#113 OT)
247 Sports: 2*-77 rating (#152 OT)

Kough joins the Buffs after receiving All-Vista League honors in both his junior and senior seasons. He played offensive tackle and tight end at various times for Pomona and he projects as either a guard or tackle for the Buffs. He committed to the Buffs in July and made his official visit in December. Since he is a bit light for a college offensive lineman, Kough is a likely redshirt. He chose the Buffs over an offer from Army and some interest from California schools.