2023 College Football Class Review: Colorado

WR Isaiah Hardge (Fort Lauderdale, FL) commits to Colorado  View Class

Hardge (5-11, 164) is a nice get for Colorado. He's a tough kid who will get out on the perimeter and block even though he is usually at a size disadvantage. Hardge has good hands, and he's going to be well developed coming from one of the top high school programs in the nation. He needs to get stronger, and that will help him catch more balls in traffic. I think he can get there.

Isaiah Hardge's Player Grade: C+

LB C.J. Turner (Star City, AR) commits to Colorado  View Class

One of my friends Chris Demarest, a former linebacker coach at Rutgers and N.C. State, loved recruiting running backs at athletes because they could end up playing running back, cornerback, safety or linebacker, depending on their size. Turner (6-1, 210) is a big running back who is being recruited as a linebacker. He plays both ways in high school, but his speed and agility will really serve him well as a linebacker in college because the position has become much more about lateral movement and playing in space than what it used to be. I think we'll see more of Turner on defense as a senior in high school, and I'll be curious to track his development because he's a good athlete.

C.J. Turner's Player Grade: C+

S Adrian Wilson (Keller, TX) commits to Colorado  View Class

Colorado lands a verbal from a second Texas prospect in less than a week. Wilson (6-0, 170) is a two-way player, but he's most comfortable on defense and playing closer to the box. He can defend along the boundary, come up in run support and make tackles. Wilson plays wide receiver, but on his film, I don't see his ball skills translating to defense like I expected. He reacts well to the play, although he relies on being in the the right position over speed.

Adrian Wilson's Player Grade: C

RB A.J. Newberry (Grand Prairie, TX) commits to Colorado  View Class

Newberry (5-11, 182) has some real quickness for his size, and it's no surprise to see that he also runs track. He is a playmaker who can do some things in space. If Newberry can improve as a receiver and a blocker, I believe he has three-down potential. I think he will make some strides as a tougher runner between the tackles too. There is some good upside here.

A.J. Newberry's Player Grade: B-

OT Naquil Betrand (Philadelphia, PA) commits to Colorado  View Class

Colorado goes across the country for Betrand, a mammoth offensive lineman from the mid-Atlantic area. In pictures, Betrand looks even bigger than 6-foot-7, 310 pounds, maybe closer to 330 pounds. Betrand makes his presence known at the point of contact. I mean he lands a big shot almost every time. Betrand is aggressive and pretty nasty, but he struggles holding on to blocks because his weight comes forward too quickly, and on film, I see him stumbling at times against defensive linemen who are a little slick with their movements. He's a project for sure, but you can't teach size, so let's see where he is three years from now.

Naquil Betrand's Player Grade: C+