Reinforcements are arriving for Coach Prime and Colorado on the recruiting staff as the Buffs look to make a move this fall following a slow start to the 2026 cycle. It seems like only a matter of time before Colorado makes a run now that Deion Sanders is back to work. On Thursday, Sanders made an intriguing hire who will make an immediate impact in those efforts.
On Thursday night, news broke that Sanders had hired Devin Ruffin to be the Assistant Director of Player Personnel. Ruffin was previously the Director of Recruiting for East Tennessee State and is considered an "exciting young name in the space," according to On3 recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong:
Colorado has hired Devin Ruffin to be the Assistant Director of Player Personnel. Served as East Tennessee State's Director of Recruiting. The St. Louis native is an exciting young name in the space.
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) August 1, 2025
Ruffin played college football for Bowling Green and will inject some youthful energy into the Colorado recruiting staff. A native of St. Louis, Ruffin should open up a pipeline to that recruiting hotbed for Coach Prime and Colorado.
The Ruffin hire should provide immediate dividends as Colorado makes a recruiting push
Colorado is working from behind in the 2026 recruiting class. The Buffs currently have one of the worst-rated classes in the Big 12 and rank 82nd nationally in the 247 composite rankings. Deion Sanders' health issues kept him off the trail the last few months, which has Colorado with a lot of ground to make up over the final few months before the early signing period.
Sanders sent a message to recruits during practice this week, telling them not to believe the lies that have been spread about him. Prior to his press conference on Monday, where he revealed his cancer diagnosis, rumors were swirling about Prime's future in Boulder. That was undoubtedly used as a negative recruiting tactic by coaches across the country.
Those tactics died on Monday, and now Sanders and his staff are going to be hard at work looking to put together the 2026 class. The Buffs will look to get involved with some unrecruited prospects, but they will also be targeting plenty of flip candidates over the coming months.
Ruffin is just the latest to join Colorado's recruiting arsenal, and he'll likely produce immediate results as the Buffs gear up for a recruiting run this fall.