Colorado’s 2021 class could end up as one of the best

For a long time, Colorado has not necessarily been considered a hotbed for high school football recruiting but the number of college recruits the state has produces has increased in recent years. It appears as though that trend could continue. Despite these unprecedented times, the buzz surrounding the current group of Class of 2021 recruits coming out of Colorado is already substantial. With plenty of Division-I offers already being reported, it looks like the upcoming graduating group might be poised to send more athletes to the next level than any year in recent memory. “I’ve had tons of coaches talk about how they’re going to make this state a huge priority for their schools,” Heritage head football coach Tyler Knoblock said. “Especially in this Denver Metro area, it seems like it’s definitely heating up. Having coached in a different state, I think the talent is as good here as anywhere. Obviously, it’s a cycle but right now there’s a ton of good football being played here in Colorado and some special players.” [caption id="attachment_23328" align="alignright" width="300"] [player_tooltip player_id="22544" first="Chase" last="Silva"][/caption]On his Heritage roster alone, Knoblock has a pair of Division-I tight ends in [player_tooltip player_id="22520" first="Terrance" last="Ferguson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="22524" first="Erik" last="Olsen"] who are both ranked among the top 10 in their class in the Prep Redzone Colorado player rankings. Other top recruits like Cherokee Trail tight end [player_tooltip player_id="22517" first="Sam" last="Hart"] (Ohio State), Fossil Ridge offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22518" first="Trey" last="Zuhn"] (Texas A&M), Highlands Ranch quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="22519" first="Jake" last="Rubley"] (Kansas State), Cherry Creek defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22534" first="Gus" last="Zilinskas"] (Rutgers) and Pine Creek safety [player_tooltip player_id="22522" first="Beau" last="Freyler"] (Iowa State) have already committed to play out of state at the D-I level. Other top Colorado prospects have committed to player locally. Cherry Creek receiver [player_tooltip player_id="22528" first="Chase" last="Penry"] has committed to the University of Colorado while Palmer Ridge quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="22533" first="Luke" last="McAllister"], Fossil Ridge tight end [player_tooltip player_id="22536" first="Tanner" last="Arkin"], Poudre offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22537" first="Justin" last="Michael"], Grandview defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22540" first="Mukendi" last="Wa-Kalonji"] and Eaglecrest defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="22541" first="Langston" last="Williams"] have all committed to Colorado State. That short list is certainly a good start for the 2021 class, which appears to be on pace to meet or surpass the number of D-I signees Colorado has produced in recent years. Defending 5A state champion Cherry Creek alone has nearly 10 seniors with Division-I offers, including names like Zilinskas, Penry, defensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22521" first="Arden" last="Walker"], cornerbacks [player_tooltip player_id="22530" first="Myles" last="Purchase"] and [player_tooltip player_id="22535" first="Al" last="Ashford III"], tight end [player_tooltip player_id="22523" first="Gunnar" last="Helm"], offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="22556" first="Corey" last="Haniford"], quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="22547" first="Julian" last="Hammond III"] and linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="22552" first="Marcus" last="Alexander"]. Colorado had just over 50 players go on to play Division-I football in 2018, around 70 in 2019 and just over 50 against last season, according to the CHSAANow.com recruiting database. Knoblock said he and others agree that the uptick in recruiting Colorado is at least partly a product of football recruiting’s copycat nature and will likely continue trending upwards “I think there’s a bright future,” Knoblock said. “I chose to move here from Oklahoma six years ago for a reason, thinking that the football would be spectacular.” https://twitter.com/sam_hart82/status/1211709052826185729