4-star RB Amari Thomas is set to make his collegiate announcement on Friday. That announcement likely won't favor Colorado, but that's okay. The Buffaloes are late to the party in Thomas' recruitment, and will continue their push for the Sunshine State native over the next four months before the early signing period.
Thomas decommitted from Florida State on July 18th, simultaneously announcing a new commitment date of August 8th. On July 22nd, Deion Sanders extended an offer to the talented Florida product. It's likely too late to change his mind, as most assumed when he announced a new commitment date that he had a program in mind.
Shane Beamer and South Carolina are trending to land his commitment, but it may not last long. Sanders is making Thomas a priority, and his recruitment is a long way from the finish line.
Amari Thomas will commit elsewhere, but Colorado will try to get him on a visit this fall
Gameday visits in Boulder are on a whole different level since Coach Prime arrived in Boulder. The Buffs will work on Thomas to try and get him to come to a game this fall, which could prove to be a game-changer in his recruitment.
The biggest issue working against Sanders and Colorado is how far away from home Boulder is from his hometown. That could prove too much to overcome, but Sanders has opened a pipeline in Florida since he took the Colorado job. There's a family feel on his staff that will make Thomas a lot more comfortable.
"They're talking about me getting up for a game in September," Thomas said. "I like Colorado even though it's a crazy trip from home. It may be worth it play for Coach Prime."
Thomas is an elite recruit coming off an insane junior season of high school. He rushed for 1880 yards and 34 touchdowns in just 10 total games.
Colorado has a lot of work to do on the recruiting trail. With Coach Prime missing so much time over the summer as he battled cancer, the Buffaloes struggled to gain momentum in the 2026 class. As things stand, Colorado holds the 80th-ranked class in the composite rankings.
It seems like only a matter of time before Sanders leads the Buffs on a major recruiting run. They just added a commitment from 3-star OL Ben Gula on Friday night. While they aren't likely to sway Thomas this quickly, they will continue building the relationship with the blue-chip back, and it may just pay off come December.