Since his arrival in Boulder, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has facilitated a major spike of incoming recruiting and transfer portal talent.
That trend continued with a notable commitment decision on Tuesday afternoon.
Four-star defensive lineman Emanuel Ruffin announced his commitment to Sanders’ Colorado program, selecting the Buffaloes over powerhouse programs like Ohio State, Ole Miss, Alabama, LSU, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri and more.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Bessemer, Alabama, native took his official visit to Boulder this past weekend.
“The environment was like no other,” Ruffin said of Colorado, via Rivals. “Everything felt like a big family and they made me feel like home. The culture is rich and it’s something I want to be a part of.”
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Ruffin identified coaching culture as one of his biggest reasons for committing to Colorado, specifically referencing Sanders and pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp.
“Coach Prime was really straightforward, forward, and one of the most real coaches I have met,” Ruffin said after his official visit. “Coach Sapp was the same way. He is very detail-oriented and wants the best out of his players.
“He has a lot of experience playing the position and coaches hard. I’m excited to be a part of the journey and eager to be coached by the Hall of Famer.”
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Sapp believes Ruffin is a future NFL prospect, according to Ruffin’s longtime coach Leonard Stephens.
“Emanuel has great size and length,” Stephens said, via On3. “He is disruptive with his hands and he is athletic. As he has gotten older, he has improved body control and technique too.”
“He has great manners off the field,” Stephens continued. “But on the field, he is very disruptive. From Warren Sapp at Colorado, he thinks Emanuel is an NFL guy. That is what Colorado is getting.”
Sanders and Colorado are 2-2 to start the 2025 college football season after notching a 37-20 victory over the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday.
Colorado will face off against the No. 25 BYU Cougars this weekend, beginning a streak of facing of three consecutive ranked opponents.