It was expected, but it doesn't make it any less damaging to Coach Prime and Colorado's ability to sign a top class that 4-star ATH CJ Sadler - the top remaining uncommitted prospect on the Buffaloes' recruiting board - announced his commitment on Friday night to Bill Belichick and North Carolina.
BREAKING: Four-Star ATH CJ Sadler has Committed to North Carolina, he tells me for @rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 15, 2025
The 5’11 188 ATH from Detroit, MI chose the Tar Heels over Michigan, Colorado, & Maryland
“Stayed down, stayed motivated, still hungry. ALL GLORY TO GOD #CS1”https://t.co/RfpA3U9xl5 pic.twitter.com/AWzYv74WC1
It's been a tough 2026 cycle for Sanders and Colorado. With Coach Prime's health issues keeping him away from Boulder for the summer, the Buffaloes find themselves in a big hole. They currently rank No. 78 in the 247 composite, and are quickly running out of time to make up ground. It's the lowest-ranked class in the Big 12 right now.
Sadler was a prospect Colorado was hoping to land based on a long-term relationship with the Detroit native. The Buffaloes were on Salder early as one of his first offers, but that relationship wasn't enough to hold off a burgeoning powerhouse recruiting machine in Chapel Hill.
Deion Sanders is running out of time to salvage Colorado's 2026 class
As things stand, Colorado's 78th-ranked class has just 11 total commitments, with only Preston Ashley and Rodney Colton Jr. ranking as 4-star prospects. It's going to be tough sledding over the next few months for Colorado to make a big move.
The majority of the highest-ranked prospects in the country have now committed, particularly the ones who have shown interest in Colorado. If Sanders and company are going to make a move up the rankings and salvage this class, Coach Prime is going to have to flip committed prospects between now and December's early signing period.
Of course, there's always the Transfer Portal, too, which is something Colorado has taken full advantage of over the Coach Prime era. They'll continue to do so, but with the high school recruiting class not shaping up the way they hoped, it certainly looks like this class is going to have to be built almost exclusively out of the portal.
There's still time - and Sanders will deliver some wins on the trail over the coming months - but Sadler's decision on Friday is another difficult recruiting pill for Colorado to swallow in a summer full of them.