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By Stuart
July 11th
The latest in the Yuri Wright saga
If you are not yet*familiar with the name Yuri Wright, you will be before February.
Already the subject of a great deal of discussion (see, e.g., the July 5th update, below), Wright is one of the top three cornerbacks in the nation, and one of the top 50 overall prospects – and Colorado is in the hunt for his services.
Wright, from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, has a high school*teammate, red-shirt freshman running back Tony Jones, wearing the black-and-gold. Wright has offers from over 30 schools nationwide, and has already taken an unofficial visit to Boulder.
So, what’s the latest?
“I*am still keeping my options open and researching schools, but I do have a few that stand out right now,” Wright told Rivals.com. “Notre Dame, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Rutgers, Cal and Oregon off the top of my head are schools I like. Like I said, I am staying open to others, but I want to narrow down my list to five
And what does Wright have to say about some of his favorites?
“Notre Dame and Michigan have great traditions and I’ve hit it off well with coaches there,” he said. “Coach Cooks at Notre Dame is someone I have a good relationship with and I felt comfortable with, but I haven’t heard that much from Notre Dame lately. For Michigan, coach Mallory is a good guy and he’d be my position coach there.”
“At Georgia I really like coach Lakatos, he’s from Jersey, he is the defensive backs coach and I would say my relationship with him is one of my strongest ones,” he continued. “Colorado has Tony Jones,*our running back from two years ago, and he likes it a lot out there. I really enjoyed my visit there and I liked that it was open and not big city, that was nice. With Rutgers, coach Hafley is a great coach and he has recruited a few players from Bosco last year and it’s a really good program. It’s something me and my teammates talk about sometimes, what it would be like if we all stayed home and played at Rutgers.”
“With Cal and Oregon, I’ve always liked both programs,” he said. “Bosco quarterback Stephen Levy works for MSG TV now and he went out there as a recruit a long time ago and he talks about how nice it is and I’ve always liked Oregon, there’s something about it. I’d like to get out west and see both schools by the end of August if I can.”
As to official visits, Wright stated that Georgia and Colorado were “most likely” to be on his list. “After that, I don’t really know,” said Wright. “But I’ll figure that out soon.”
Wright doesn’t expect to announce his decision until the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January, so this will be a long ride for Buff fans to endure.
But, if the Colorado coaches can land one of the premier cornerbacks in the nation as part of their first full year recruiting?
Imagine the possibilities …
July 8th
Gabriel Marks taking in what Boulder has to offer
Scout.com is reporting that four-star cornerback/wide receiver Gabriel Marks, from Venice, California, will be visiting Colorado in the next week.
Marks is an exceptional athlete. Rivals.com has him rated with four-stars, and ranks Marks as the No. 25 wide receiver in the nation (166th-best athlete overall). Scout.com agrees that Marks is a four-star prospect, but has him rated as the 16th-best cornerback in the nation. Marks is 6’0″, 175-pounds, and runs a 4.6 in the 40. A Rivals scout had this to say about Marks: Strengths: Marks simply has the ability to get open. It doesn’t matter if it is a deep go route or simply a slant in the middle of the field – he finds the seams in the defense. He has very soft hands and made several tough catches look easy. Weaknesses: On paper Marks should not be as effective as he is. He is not a big receiver and does not have great speed. He could improve his quickness off the ball for sure.
Colorado is in need of both positions, so whether*he is being recruited at wide receiver or at cornerback, Marks would be a prize for the Buffs.
Marks has offers from a number of schools, but recently narrowed his choices down to his top five. “At this point, my top-five, in no particular order are: Utah, SMU, UCLA, Colorado, and Boston College,” Marks told Scout.com on June 29th. “Those are also the schools I know the most about.” This past week, Marks stated that UCLA, SMU and Utah were his top three, but say that Boston College and Colorado were also in the mix.
As the summer “unofficial visit” season begins to wind down, Marks is indicating that he might make his choice early this fall. “I am hoping to take all five of my official visits, but I don’t know yet. I am for sure taking an official to SMU, Utah and Colorado,” said Marks. “I would like to make my decision if not before my senior season starts, then at the very beginning. I have to make a decision sooner or later, so I guess the sooner the better.”
Let’s hope Mr. Marks has a good visit to Boulder this week.
July 6th
Will Willie Lyles scandal impact Oregon recruiting?
Could the Ducks’ troubles result in gains for Buffs?
With the Willie Lyles story continuing to unfold, concerns about the future of the program may shift the interest of some potential recruits away from Eugene. According to a story on ESPN.com, an Oregon prospect considered a lock for the Ducks is now considering other options:
“Linebacker Brett Bafaro from Hillsboro (Ore.) Liberty said Oregon was his clear leader and he was ready to make a summer announcement. Now, that’s on hold as other schools garner more interest,” wrote Dave Hooker. ” ‘I don’t know what’s going on with them right now,’ the three-star prospect said. ‘So I’m just waiting for that to kind of clear up and see what happens. They were my No. 1 school until all this happened.’ Now, Bafaro is considering Boise State and Colorado. The Buffs are in contention despite the fact they want him to play fullback instead of his preferred position of linebacker. All because the NCAA may soon close the door in Eugene.”
Another player, who has already committed to play for Oregon, would be of particular interest to Buff fans and coaches. Four-star tight end prospect Evan Baylis, from Grandview, Colorado, committed to Oregon on May 6th. It was widely assumed that the choice for Baylis came down to Oregon and Colorado (although Boise State and Michigan, according to BuffStampede.com writer Adam Munsterteiger, were also on Baylis’ short list). If Chip Kelly were to lose his job, or if Oregon were to be slapped with sanctions including losses of scholarships and bowl bids, or if even the possibility of such penalties hung over the Oregon program until February … Colorado could be back in the mix.
It ain’t over ’til it’s over …
P.S. – Is it just me, or is it weird that Colorado is playing Ohio State, USC, and Oregon in the same season. Talk about the “Unholy Trinity”!
July 5th
Yuri Wright still looking at Colorado
Four-star cornerback recruit Yuri Wright,*from Ramsey, New Jersey, is quite popular. Wright, considered by Scout to be the 6th-best cornerback in the nation by Scout (Rivals*has him listed as the third best cornerback in the nation – and the 41st-best player overall), has*offers from all over the country. Auburn, Cal, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Virginia Tech, inter alia, all want Wright’s signature next February.
So, who is Wright hearing from?
“I would say Colorado and Rutgers are recruiting me the hardest,” Wright told ScarletReport.com on Tuesday.
Colorado has an “in” with Wright – a former teammate.*Former Don Bosco Prep running back Tony Jones just finished his freshman year with the Buffaloes, and Wright went to the Boulder, Colo., campus to visit in the spring. “I have a real good relationship with Tony, and their defensive backs coach Greg Brown,” Wright said. “He’s a real good coach. We talk about the type of defense they play. I ask questions, and he’s pretty much the type of guy I can see how much he cares about the players.”
Still, Rutgers is the home state school …
But not really.*Although Wright plays in New Jersey, he lives in New York, and doesn’t feel an in-state pull.*“I’m from New York,” he said. “I rep New York all day.”
With Colorado in dire need of a shut down corner, and Wright one of the top players in the nation … Wright would be*a great get for the University of Colorado.
July 4th
Four-star running back and wide receiver to*visit Boulder
So, do you want the good news or the bad news?
Let’s start with the good news: four-star running back Wes Brown, from Olney, Maryland, wants to check out Colorado. Brown has offers from over 30 schools, including most of the ACC, Big East, and Big Ten. Brown is on a tour of schools which includes New Mexico (where a high school teammate is an incoming freshman -*”he wants me to at least come check them out,” Brown told CaneSport.com), Colorado, and Virginia Tech.
Okay, the bad news: Brown is currently quite smitten with Miami. “Miami is No. 1,” Brown said. When asked what made him decide that, Brown said, “They always have been No. 1. I like everything they produce academic-wise.”
Teammate Stefon Diggs, also from Olney, Maryland, will accompany Brown to Boulder. Diggs is by Rivals to be the 2nd-best wide receiver in the nation, and the eighth-best player overall. Diggs has offers from over 50 schools, and has visited schools like Miami, South Carolina, and Auburn. Diggs was scheduled to take an unofficial visit to Boulder for the spring game, but cancelled due to a family conflict.
“Right now I will probably drop my list as soon as I’m done visiting three or four more schools,” Diggs told autigers.com. “Then I’ll come out with a Top 15 or Top 12. I’m going to try to narrow it down before the season because my main focus is on my season. As soon as I get my season over with then it’s on to next step. I’m taking things day by day.”
Eric Bieniemy is recruiting Brown, but it will likely take all that Bieniemy – and the Flatirons – can do to impress Brown to get this four-star running back prospect to Colorado.
Diggs also appears to be a longshot – but at least he’s coming …
Offensive lineman likes Colorado
The Buffs’ chances are better for the services of Travis Averill, an offensive lineman from Anaheim, California. Averill is considered a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, and is considered by Scout to be the 32nd-best guard in the nation by Scout; the 24th-best guard by Rivals.
Averill has offers from at least five Pac-12 schools, including both Washington schools, UCLA, and Arizona. He has also “talked with Cal a lot”. However, Averill has apparently narrowed his choices down to three schools. “My final three are Boise [State], Colorado and UCLA,” Averill told BuffStampede.com. “I think I know which one I am going to choose, but I am not 100 percent sure yet. I need to sit down and really think about it. I am going to sit down with my parents and talk to them and then sit down with my coach to see what he thinks about the whole thing and then I will sleep on it and I’ll make my choice.”
Here’s what Averill had to say about his three finalists: “Boise State’s program is so good and their coaches are awesome,” Averill said. “They have an overall winning program and the graduation rate there is very high, too, so that is good.
“Colorado is starting new; they are starting fresh with a new coaching staff and a new conference. I think they are on the right path. Their coaches are awesome, too. It would be exciting to go there and Boulder is a fun college town.
“UCLA is close to home and that is great because I am obviously used to living in Southern California. It is awesome over there and the coaches are great, too. … They all offer some great stuff so it is going to be tough.”
Averill is expected to announce his decision in the next week or two …
Originally posted by CU At the Game
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July 11th
The latest in the Yuri Wright saga
If you are not yet*familiar with the name Yuri Wright, you will be before February.
Already the subject of a great deal of discussion (see, e.g., the July 5th update, below), Wright is one of the top three cornerbacks in the nation, and one of the top 50 overall prospects – and Colorado is in the hunt for his services.
Wright, from Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey, has a high school*teammate, red-shirt freshman running back Tony Jones, wearing the black-and-gold. Wright has offers from over 30 schools nationwide, and has already taken an unofficial visit to Boulder.
So, what’s the latest?
“I*am still keeping my options open and researching schools, but I do have a few that stand out right now,” Wright told Rivals.com. “Notre Dame, Michigan, Georgia, Colorado, Rutgers, Cal and Oregon off the top of my head are schools I like. Like I said, I am staying open to others, but I want to narrow down my list to five
And what does Wright have to say about some of his favorites?
“Notre Dame and Michigan have great traditions and I’ve hit it off well with coaches there,” he said. “Coach Cooks at Notre Dame is someone I have a good relationship with and I felt comfortable with, but I haven’t heard that much from Notre Dame lately. For Michigan, coach Mallory is a good guy and he’d be my position coach there.”
“At Georgia I really like coach Lakatos, he’s from Jersey, he is the defensive backs coach and I would say my relationship with him is one of my strongest ones,” he continued. “Colorado has Tony Jones,*our running back from two years ago, and he likes it a lot out there. I really enjoyed my visit there and I liked that it was open and not big city, that was nice. With Rutgers, coach Hafley is a great coach and he has recruited a few players from Bosco last year and it’s a really good program. It’s something me and my teammates talk about sometimes, what it would be like if we all stayed home and played at Rutgers.”
“With Cal and Oregon, I’ve always liked both programs,” he said. “Bosco quarterback Stephen Levy works for MSG TV now and he went out there as a recruit a long time ago and he talks about how nice it is and I’ve always liked Oregon, there’s something about it. I’d like to get out west and see both schools by the end of August if I can.”
As to official visits, Wright stated that Georgia and Colorado were “most likely” to be on his list. “After that, I don’t really know,” said Wright. “But I’ll figure that out soon.”
Wright doesn’t expect to announce his decision until the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January, so this will be a long ride for Buff fans to endure.
But, if the Colorado coaches can land one of the premier cornerbacks in the nation as part of their first full year recruiting?
Imagine the possibilities …
July 8th
Gabriel Marks taking in what Boulder has to offer
Scout.com is reporting that four-star cornerback/wide receiver Gabriel Marks, from Venice, California, will be visiting Colorado in the next week.
Marks is an exceptional athlete. Rivals.com has him rated with four-stars, and ranks Marks as the No. 25 wide receiver in the nation (166th-best athlete overall). Scout.com agrees that Marks is a four-star prospect, but has him rated as the 16th-best cornerback in the nation. Marks is 6’0″, 175-pounds, and runs a 4.6 in the 40. A Rivals scout had this to say about Marks: Strengths: Marks simply has the ability to get open. It doesn’t matter if it is a deep go route or simply a slant in the middle of the field – he finds the seams in the defense. He has very soft hands and made several tough catches look easy. Weaknesses: On paper Marks should not be as effective as he is. He is not a big receiver and does not have great speed. He could improve his quickness off the ball for sure.
Colorado is in need of both positions, so whether*he is being recruited at wide receiver or at cornerback, Marks would be a prize for the Buffs.
Marks has offers from a number of schools, but recently narrowed his choices down to his top five. “At this point, my top-five, in no particular order are: Utah, SMU, UCLA, Colorado, and Boston College,” Marks told Scout.com on June 29th. “Those are also the schools I know the most about.” This past week, Marks stated that UCLA, SMU and Utah were his top three, but say that Boston College and Colorado were also in the mix.
As the summer “unofficial visit” season begins to wind down, Marks is indicating that he might make his choice early this fall. “I am hoping to take all five of my official visits, but I don’t know yet. I am for sure taking an official to SMU, Utah and Colorado,” said Marks. “I would like to make my decision if not before my senior season starts, then at the very beginning. I have to make a decision sooner or later, so I guess the sooner the better.”
Let’s hope Mr. Marks has a good visit to Boulder this week.
July 6th
Will Willie Lyles scandal impact Oregon recruiting?
Could the Ducks’ troubles result in gains for Buffs?
With the Willie Lyles story continuing to unfold, concerns about the future of the program may shift the interest of some potential recruits away from Eugene. According to a story on ESPN.com, an Oregon prospect considered a lock for the Ducks is now considering other options:
“Linebacker Brett Bafaro from Hillsboro (Ore.) Liberty said Oregon was his clear leader and he was ready to make a summer announcement. Now, that’s on hold as other schools garner more interest,” wrote Dave Hooker. ” ‘I don’t know what’s going on with them right now,’ the three-star prospect said. ‘So I’m just waiting for that to kind of clear up and see what happens. They were my No. 1 school until all this happened.’ Now, Bafaro is considering Boise State and Colorado. The Buffs are in contention despite the fact they want him to play fullback instead of his preferred position of linebacker. All because the NCAA may soon close the door in Eugene.”
Another player, who has already committed to play for Oregon, would be of particular interest to Buff fans and coaches. Four-star tight end prospect Evan Baylis, from Grandview, Colorado, committed to Oregon on May 6th. It was widely assumed that the choice for Baylis came down to Oregon and Colorado (although Boise State and Michigan, according to BuffStampede.com writer Adam Munsterteiger, were also on Baylis’ short list). If Chip Kelly were to lose his job, or if Oregon were to be slapped with sanctions including losses of scholarships and bowl bids, or if even the possibility of such penalties hung over the Oregon program until February … Colorado could be back in the mix.
It ain’t over ’til it’s over …
P.S. – Is it just me, or is it weird that Colorado is playing Ohio State, USC, and Oregon in the same season. Talk about the “Unholy Trinity”!
July 5th
Yuri Wright still looking at Colorado
Four-star cornerback recruit Yuri Wright,*from Ramsey, New Jersey, is quite popular. Wright, considered by Scout to be the 6th-best cornerback in the nation by Scout (Rivals*has him listed as the third best cornerback in the nation – and the 41st-best player overall), has*offers from all over the country. Auburn, Cal, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Virginia Tech, inter alia, all want Wright’s signature next February.
So, who is Wright hearing from?
“I would say Colorado and Rutgers are recruiting me the hardest,” Wright told ScarletReport.com on Tuesday.
Colorado has an “in” with Wright – a former teammate.*Former Don Bosco Prep running back Tony Jones just finished his freshman year with the Buffaloes, and Wright went to the Boulder, Colo., campus to visit in the spring. “I have a real good relationship with Tony, and their defensive backs coach Greg Brown,” Wright said. “He’s a real good coach. We talk about the type of defense they play. I ask questions, and he’s pretty much the type of guy I can see how much he cares about the players.”
Still, Rutgers is the home state school …
But not really.*Although Wright plays in New Jersey, he lives in New York, and doesn’t feel an in-state pull.*“I’m from New York,” he said. “I rep New York all day.”
With Colorado in dire need of a shut down corner, and Wright one of the top players in the nation … Wright would be*a great get for the University of Colorado.
July 4th
Four-star running back and wide receiver to*visit Boulder
So, do you want the good news or the bad news?
Let’s start with the good news: four-star running back Wes Brown, from Olney, Maryland, wants to check out Colorado. Brown has offers from over 30 schools, including most of the ACC, Big East, and Big Ten. Brown is on a tour of schools which includes New Mexico (where a high school teammate is an incoming freshman -*”he wants me to at least come check them out,” Brown told CaneSport.com), Colorado, and Virginia Tech.
Okay, the bad news: Brown is currently quite smitten with Miami. “Miami is No. 1,” Brown said. When asked what made him decide that, Brown said, “They always have been No. 1. I like everything they produce academic-wise.”
Teammate Stefon Diggs, also from Olney, Maryland, will accompany Brown to Boulder. Diggs is by Rivals to be the 2nd-best wide receiver in the nation, and the eighth-best player overall. Diggs has offers from over 50 schools, and has visited schools like Miami, South Carolina, and Auburn. Diggs was scheduled to take an unofficial visit to Boulder for the spring game, but cancelled due to a family conflict.
“Right now I will probably drop my list as soon as I’m done visiting three or four more schools,” Diggs told autigers.com. “Then I’ll come out with a Top 15 or Top 12. I’m going to try to narrow it down before the season because my main focus is on my season. As soon as I get my season over with then it’s on to next step. I’m taking things day by day.”
Eric Bieniemy is recruiting Brown, but it will likely take all that Bieniemy – and the Flatirons – can do to impress Brown to get this four-star running back prospect to Colorado.
Diggs also appears to be a longshot – but at least he’s coming …
Offensive lineman likes Colorado
The Buffs’ chances are better for the services of Travis Averill, an offensive lineman from Anaheim, California. Averill is considered a three-star prospect by both Rivals and Scout, and is considered by Scout to be the 32nd-best guard in the nation by Scout; the 24th-best guard by Rivals.
Averill has offers from at least five Pac-12 schools, including both Washington schools, UCLA, and Arizona. He has also “talked with Cal a lot”. However, Averill has apparently narrowed his choices down to three schools. “My final three are Boise [State], Colorado and UCLA,” Averill told BuffStampede.com. “I think I know which one I am going to choose, but I am not 100 percent sure yet. I need to sit down and really think about it. I am going to sit down with my parents and talk to them and then sit down with my coach to see what he thinks about the whole thing and then I will sleep on it and I’ll make my choice.”
Here’s what Averill had to say about his three finalists: “Boise State’s program is so good and their coaches are awesome,” Averill said. “They have an overall winning program and the graduation rate there is very high, too, so that is good.
“Colorado is starting new; they are starting fresh with a new coaching staff and a new conference. I think they are on the right path. Their coaches are awesome, too. It would be exciting to go there and Boulder is a fun college town.
“UCLA is close to home and that is great because I am obviously used to living in Southern California. It is awesome over there and the coaches are great, too. … They all offer some great stuff so it is going to be tough.”
Averill is expected to announce his decision in the next week or two …
Originally posted by CU At the Game
Click here to vie