Here's why this 4-star linebacker chose Colorado over Ole Miss after key phone call from Coach Prime

You’ve probably heard it before—“Coach Prime can talk to anybody.” But for linebacker Rodney Colton Jr., it was personal.

When the four-star linebacker from Georgia picked Colorado over Ole Miss this weekend, it was a huge recruiting win considering the criticism CU has gotten with their low number of high school commits.

It was a glimpse into what makes this Buffs program under Deion Sanders so different.

Yes, Colton is a top-15 linebacker nationally. Yes, he had offers from Georgia, Penn State, FSU, UCLA—you name it. But in the end, it came down to two things: heart and honesty.

And that’s where Colorado stood alone.

“We talked about early playing time, how I can just get in there and go,” Colton told Bacon Network.

But it was more than that. A phone call from Sanders helped seal the deal—one that tapped into something far deeper than depth charts or NFL projections.

Coach Prime made it real

Colton, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound wrecking ball from Newnan High School, shares something with former CU wideout Jimmy Horn Jr.—both come from homes impacted by an incarcerated father.

That’s not something every coach talks about during recruiting. But Prime did. And it struck a chord.

Sanders didn’t shy away from Colton’s story. He embraced it.

That kind of transparency is rare in recruiting. But that’s the Prime Effect. He’s building something in Boulder that goes beyond football—and players like Colton can feel that.

“It means everything,” Colton said. “You should see my mama smiling.”

And we're smiling too.

Flipping the script on the SEC

Ole Miss was the favorite. That’s no secret. And in the SEC, a Georgia kid heading to Oxford makes a lot of sense.

But Colton wanted something different. Something new.

“I already did my dues in the south, so I might as well take it somewhere else,” he said.

That mindset—that hunger to break molds and carve his own path—is exactly what’s fueling Colorado’s rebuild. And it’s why Sanders and linebackers coach Andre Hart connected with him.

Now, CU has its ninth commit in the 2026 class and its third four-star.

The Hart of the matter

Let’s talk about Coach Hart for a second. Over the last week, he’s landed three linebacker commitments—Colton being the biggest splash.

That’s more than the entire 2025 linebacker haul (which was just one: Mantrez Walker).

Hart’s reputation among Buffs fans is rising fast. He’s winning recruiting battles against big brands because of relationships and because of vision.

Colton said he’ll likely move inside at CU, shifting from outside linebacker to “micro-Sam” or strong-side, depending on how DC Robert Livingston schemes it.

And with veterans like Martavius French and Reginald Hughes set to hold down 2025, the future at linebacker is starting to look legit. Add in Walker and TCU transfer Kylan Salter, and the Buffs are finally building some depth.

Culture > Hype

Colorado’s defense took a huge step forward last year thanks to LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green. But those guys are gone. And if the Buffs are going to stay in the Big 12 title hunt, linebacker play will be everything.

Getting a guy like Colton—who plays with fire and speaks like a future leader—is about setting a tone.

This is a cultural marker.

Colton didn’t choose Boulder because it’s cool (though it is). He chose it because it feels like something different. Something real.

And that’s the kind of momentum you can’t manufacture.

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