Colorado Buffaloes Commit Preston Ashley Receives Updated Recruiting Ranking

One of the reasons that the rankings are important is so that other incoming recruits can see what the team is building. While programs should continue to push for the top players, changes in the rankings will consistently occur.

Although Colorado fans would prefer to see the program’s ranking be higher than last in the conference, it is hard to judge incoming recruits based on rankings, and they can still be big additions to the team. The rankings will change a couple of times before the commits are officially on the field for the Buffaloes. What matters is how the athletes continue to develop before and during their time with Colorado.

Despite dropping to a three-star rating, Ashley is expected to be one of the top cornerbacks from the class of 2026. He is ranked as the No. 22 cornerback recruit and the No. 9 player from Mississippi, per the Rivals' Industry Rankings. With Sanders coaching Colorado, Ashley will be coached by one of the best defensive backs in NFL history.

Ashley chose Colorado over the Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators. When explaining why he chose Colorado, Ashley highlighted defensive coordinator Robert Livingston and the staff.

"Being able to just sit down with Coach Livingston and him telling me that was what got me, because I know they don't sugarcoat anything and were keeping it 100 with me," Ashley told Scott Procter of DNVR. "They're going to get everything out of me because I'm a dog and all I do is work."

Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are not a team that is worried about having the highest recruiting ranking. The program is focused on bringing in players who will lead the team to the most wins. Sanders has emphasized while speaking to the media that his goal is not to bring in a large number of recruits, but bring in the best talent who can start year one. 

“Just say we get 25 high school players. How many’s going to play that freshman year at the most? Let’s say four or five right? And so now you got 20 guys redshirted. So when you go through that spring with that 20 guys red-shirted, how many of those you going to retain?” Sanders said earlier in his tenure as Colorado's coach while speaking to the media about recruiting.

While the Buffaloes’ recruiting rankings are fluctuating, Sanders is bringing in talented players. On the defensive side of the ball, including Ashley, Colorado has received commitments from four-star linebacker Rodney Colton and three-star recruits: linebacker Carson Crawford, edge rusher Domata Peko Jr., safety D’Montae Tims, linebacker Colby Johnson, and cornerback Maurice Williams. 

The Colorado Buffaloes led the Big 12 in sacks in 2024 and are looking to maintain a dominant defense. With starting cornerbacks DJ McKinney and Preston Hodge likely entering their final seasons with the team, bringing in Ashley and other commits will be a benefit for the program come 2026.

The recruiting rankings for the incoming players may continue to fluctuate, but it will not change how the player performs when they arrive in Boulder. The Colorado staff has to keep up with their current momentum and bring in the players they believe will help the team the most.