Deion Sanders is away from Boulder at the moment, recuperating from a health scare back in Texas. However, that doesn’t mean Colorado’s recruiting efforts are taking a hit. The rest of the staff is busy hosting some prime targets, trying to pull up the program’s poor rankings in the 2026 class. They won’t be in that position for long, as some key targets visit Colorado for the summer. Warren Sapp, Colorado’s pass rush coordinator, in particular, might be hearing soon from a key prospect – all the way from California.

According to On3, Colorado sits at a worrying rank of 90. That’s far below a number that could be associated with a program linked with Deion Sanders. Last season, his class finished at No. 35. Colorado is still in consideration for several prospects this season. In Coach Prime’s absence, Sapp is banking on the good word of a key Polynesian prospect. 3-star DL Manoah Faupusa may very well be inclined towards Colorado, as he nears his commitment announcement.

Faupusa included Colorado in his final three, with North Carolina and Arizona. He spoke of the connections he made with the coaches at Boulder, which might be the deciding factor. “Coach [Domata] Peko and Coach Sapp are historically two of the greatest defensive linemen of all time, so just getting the opportunity to play for them is a blessing. They’ve been to the places I want to be, so why wouldn’t I trust them?” Faupusa told DNVR Buffs. He will likely make his decision on July 5, which gives Colorado and the other competitors a waiting period of around 10 days.

Faupusa comes with a total of 51 tackles (7 TFLs) and 2 sacks so far. And, he has dabbled on the other side of the ball as well. He has 12 carries for 26 yards and also 7 touchdowns. He told BuffStampede.com, “My main takeaways from my time in Boulder was they have a defensive scheme that will fit how I play and put me in the best position possible at all times.” According to Faupusa, Colorado says he is a “high-priority” target for the program. Colorado is desperate to make a jump in the recruiting class, as they only host 3 commits currently. Getting Faupusa’s commitment will be a huge relief for Warren Sapp, who’s also looking at a group of Polynesian talents for his unit.

Colorado banking on DL coach Domata Peko to land other Polynesian targets

Domata Peko’s hiring as the Buffs’ D-line coach is getting Polynesian talents to pay Colorado some thought. Clearly, the program hasn’t been a favorite for Pacific Islanders for quite some time. Local schools like USC, instead, are making the most of their added advantage of proximity for these prospects. Peko’s arrival brought NFL experience to Colorado. That has resulted in a good slate of Polynesian defensive targets to make their way to Boulder for a key visit.

Colorado hosted their top target in the class, TI Umu-Cais, and Peko’s sons, Domata Peko Jr. and Joseph Peko. They were also joined by Ezaya Tokio and Faupusa.  It might be a family affair once again at Colorado, who will see their D-line bolstered with the Peko brothers. Peko Jr. has already committed to Colorado. Umu-Cais, on the other hand, is also a prime target for Washington, who are nearing a Top-15 class.

Warren Sapp, Peko, and Coach Prime have a tremendous impact on these defensive recruits, with their NFL careers. But can the trio finally see these valuable prospects choosing Boulder as their collegiate home?