Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes Closing In On Four-Star Recruit Johnnie Jones?

Jones took an official visit to Boulder during the first weekend of April, a trip that he noted was extremely in-depth.

"They helped me see the program and community besides the cameras and [get an] actual feel for how the city works," Jones told 247Sports following his visit. "And [to] just get a feel for the players and what makes them different with how they practice and how they have their workouts."

The Buffaloes, led by coach Deion Sanders, left a strong impression on the 6-6, 305-pound tackle with similar dimensions to another prized tackle recruit from 2023, Jordan Seaton.

"The message was this is a place that is going to challenge me to become the best possible," Jones said. "He would like to see me come into the program and compete, and be ready to work with a good work ethic."

Jones also spoke fondly of Ole Miss and is still set to visit Florida State, UCLA and Penn State, leaving the Buffs' visit most distant in the rear view mirror. If Colorado secures his commitment, recency bias won't be a reason why.

While pass protectors will no longer be sworn to shield quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Colorado's offensive line continues to leave room for improvement. The depth of this year's trenches is striking, including transfer additions at tackle in Xavier Hill (Memphis Tigers), Larry Johnson III (Tennessee Volunteers), Andre Roye Jr. (Maryland Terrapins) and Aki Ogunbiyi (Texas A&M Aggies).

Seaton still holds down left tackle, but it's still very much a mystery as to what the future holds on the right. Four-star Carde Smith is the most likely option if they decide on a freshman, and Phillip Houston has history as a starter despite an ACL injury that likely disallows him from offseason involvement.

Coach Gunnar White stood out to Jones on his visit, and a relationship with the staff is already established.

"I was with a bunch of the O-line, and I really spent a lot of my time with the coach," Jones said. "Just breaking down my film and how it incorporates with how their offensive scheme is."

There's a great chance that Jones can almost immediately jockey for a starting role if he decides on Colorado, as opposed to rosters with more turnover like Penn State or Ole Miss. Jones has a Herculean frame with advanced attributes for his age and could be Coach Prime's next massive recruiting find.