Deion Sanders loves using family ties when it comes to recruiting. After bringing DL Joseph Peko,  son of Colorado’s former DL coach Domata Peko, Sanders is off to target another one with a family connection. This time, it’s Woodward’s DL who already has ties with a former Buffs star.

Four-star DL Tory Clark is gaining a lot of buzz around his interest in the Buffs despite having a lot of time for his recruitment. He is a solid player whose family already has his elder brother, Jeffery Clark, whom he looks up to. Clark is a solid player who helped Arizona State to reach the playoffs and win the championship game in 2024.

But there’s another layer to his connection to Colorado. Jeffery Clark starts as a low-known player at McEachern High School and works his way up in football. During that time, one of his close friends and teammates was BJ Green II, who later went on to play at Colorado. Because of this connection, Clark’s family becomes close to BJ Green II and his family. They spend a lot of time talking with him and learning about the Colorado football program and his experience there.

Now, when Colorado offers a scholarship to Tory Clark, it creates excitement for the family. Since they already know about the program through BJ Green II, they feel more excited to see it in person.

“Our families are pretty close,” Jeff Clark Tory’s father said. “BJ’s dad and I also talked a lot about the program and what they’re doing. Obviously, we will get to Colorado because we want to understand what is really happening with the program there. There has been a lot of change with the staff, so we want to see it first-hand.”

So, this way, Colorado is not just placing itself strongly in front of Clark and his family but also gaining early momentum. But they are not alone in the mix. Many top teams are interested in him, like Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, North Carolina, SMU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. The fight to get him won’t be that straightforward for Deion Sanders and team.

He is putting in all his efforts to show his potential. Clark started building his reputation early by playing in nine varsity games during his freshman and sophomore years at Woodward Academy in Atlanta. Recently, he impressed college coaches during six spring practices and was getting ready to complete four more sessions.

They are also actively visiting teams and learning more about the program. So far, Clark has visited Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, North Carolina, SMU, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia Tech. One place that stood out was North Carolina, where the staff members saw his progress and also praised him. After the visit, his father explained the entire stance.

“We just came back from a visit to Chapel Hill, and they said Tory has one of the best physiques they’ve ever seen at the high school level,” his father said. “They said he does not look 275. They actually weighed him again. He said that is exactly what GMs want to see.”

But he is not the only player in the mix for Colorado.

Deion Sanders eyes another 2028 class player

Colorado is planning for the future by offering a scholarship to 2028 athlete Keith Nolen Jr. early in the recruiting process. This shows they are trying to build a strong team ahead of time. Nolen Jr. is a well-ranked player. He is the No. 359 overall player in his class, the No. 26 athlete in the country, and the No. 8 player from Virginia.

Many colleges are already interested in him. He has offers from 11 schools, including Duke, Kentucky, Maryland, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and UMass, which shows he is a talented and in-demand player. During his sophomore season, Nolen mostly played as a wide receiver and also helped on special teams. He caught 14 passes for 367 yards and scored four touchdowns. He averaged 26 yards per catch, which shows he can make big plays.

He is very fast and explosive, making him a dangerous player on the field. Because of his skills, he fits the type of player Colorado is looking for under coach Deion Sanders. He could play both wide receiver and cornerback, similar to how the team has used Travis Hunter. Colorado’s 2028 recruiting class does not have any players committed yet. If any one of them shows interest in the program, the team can get early momentum.