CU Buffs beat out defending champs for talented D-line recruit

Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes have been all in on the transfer portal over the past three years, but that doesn’t mean that high school recruits don’t have their eyes on CU. The Buffs have shown the ability to go out and recruit talented high schoolers such as Jordan Seaton and Julian Lewis, and they added another to the fold on Tuesday.

BREAKING: Four-Star DL Emanuel Ruffin has Committed to Colorado, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’4 290 DL from Bessemer, AL chose the Buffaloes over Ohio State, Missouri, & Ole Miss

“We Coming 🦬”https://t.co/SHVGugWI69 pic.twitter.com/3jNI9l9J9B

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 23, 2025

Emanuel Ruffin, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound defensive lineman from Alabama, announced his commitment to CU. He was in Boulder on a visit for Saturday’s win over the Wyoming Cowboys, and clearly liked what he saw as Prime and company cruised to a 37-20 victory. The four-star prospect chose Colorado over a handful of elite programs, including the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ruffin is the 12th high school player in the 2026 class to commit to the Buffs, and the third four-star (Rodney Colton Jr., Preston Ashley). In the state of Alabama, he’s the No. 9 overall recruit and is the No. 19 defensive lineman in the country.

Ruffin’s trainer, Leonard Stephens, was also Cam’Ron Salmon-Craig’s trainer. Silmon-Craig spent four years with Coach Prime at Jackson State and Colorado before heading to the NFL, and that set of connections also reportedly played a role in getting Ruffin to Boulder. His move to Boulder could also influence more highly-touted recruits to make their way to Boulder.

👀 @emanuel_ruffin that’s the move twin 🧐 https://t.co/9D3gyPqFyJ

— ⭐️ Ba’Roc Willis (@roc_willis) September 23, 2025

This is a big win for the Buffs. They need as much help on the defensive line as they can get, and Ruffin has the tools to be an important piece of that unit for the next four years.

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