Colorado Buffaloes Flip Coveted In-State Prospect, Add To 2026 Recruiting Class

In announcing his commitment to the Buffs on social media, Manu thanked his family, friends and coaches at Thompson Valley before sharing his gratitude for "Coach Prime" and Colorado offensive line coaches George Hegamin and Gunnar White.

"I want to thank Coach White, Coach Hegamin & Coach Prime for this blessing to compete at the next level," Manu wrote.

Other programs that have expressed interest in Manu include the Arizona Wildcats, Wyoming Cowboys, Washington State Cougars and South Dakota Coyotes. Colorado will battle both Arizona and Wyoming this upcoming season as Manu navigates his senior year at Thompson Valley.

In an interview with BuffStampede's Adam Munsterteiger, Manu said that Colorado's coaches and the number of former players now finding success in the NFL played a big role in his commitment. Eight players from last year's Colorado team landed an NFL contract this offseason, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns) and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars).

"Honestly, I would say level of competition and coaching staff is the biggest thing," Manu told Munsterteiger regarding his Colorado commitment. "They've got a lot of great coaches over there and I keep seeing stuff about ex-Buff players just performing so well in the NFL as well."

Colorado Buffaloes Class Of 2026 Commitments

"Coach Prime" now owns 11 class of 2026 commitments, including three offensive linemen.

• Four-star safety Preston Ashley (Brandon, Mississippi)

• Three-star tight end Gavin Mueller (South Elgin, Illinois)

• Three-star linebacker Colby Johnson (Sammamish, Washington)

• Three-star EDGE Domata Peko Jr. (Ventura, California)

• Three-star cornerback Maurice Williams (New Orleans, Louisiana)

• Three-star offensive tackle Xavier Payne (Miami, Florida)

• Three-star linebacker Carson Crawford (Carthage, Texas)

• Three-star safety D'Montae Tims (Seffner, Florida)

• Four-star linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. (Newnan, Georgia)

• Three-star offensive lineman Ben Gula (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

• Three-star offensive tackle Josiah Manu (Loveland, Colorado)

Colorado Buffaloes 2026 Recruiting Class Rankings

With Manu now headed to Boulder, Colorado's 2026 recruiting class ranks No. 78 nationally and last in the Big 12, according to 247Sports. The BYU Cougars, who own 20 commits, have the highest-ranked class in the Big 12, followed by the Texas Tech Red Raiders (19 commits).