Why Colorado Buffaloes Missed Out On Elite Receiver Recruit Brayden Allen

Allen is the No. 92 wide receiver, the No. 18 player from Louisiana, and the No. 596 recruit in the nation, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. In addition to Tulane and Colorado, the third school to make a push for Allen is the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Buffaloes and Sooners made a strong push for Allen, and it seemed as though Colorado would be the ones to land the wide receiver recruit. On Oct. 1, Allen committed to the Sooners, resulting in Colorado missing out on the chance to build upon their class of 2026.

One factor that could have contributed to Colorado losing Allen is the Buffaloes' record this season. Allen was in Boulder as the Buffaloes faced the No. 23 BYU Cougars in week 5. Though it was a close matchup, the Buffaloes lost the game, falling to a 2-3 record.

Programs with a losing record, struggling to turn things around, make recruiting challenging. The Oklahoma Sooners are 4-0, 1-0 in SEC conference play. Allen did not discuss Oklahoma's record when announcing his commitment, but he chose the undefeated program.

One of the biggest aspects for Colorado when it comes to recruiting is the chance to play early. While Allen likely could have played early with the Buffaloes, the wide receiver recruit revealed to Rivals that he also feels he can play quickly with Oklahoma as well.

Where Colorado Goes From Here

The Colorado Buffaloes' recruiting class of 2026 is ranked No. 53 in the nation and No. 13 in the Big 12, per On3. The team has received 13 commits, but only one is a wide receiver. On Sept. 24, three-star wide receiver Christian Ward committed to Colorado, which was crucial for the team, which had no commitments from that position.

The only other pass catcher from the recruiting class is three-star tight end Gavin Mueller. While Mueller is still committed to Colorado, other programs have been reaching out in an attempt to flip the tight end. As the Buffaloes continue to bring in new commits, the program will have to make sure their current recruits stick with Colorado.

While Colorado missed out on Allen, there are other players, including wide receivers, that Colorado can still make a push for. Three-star wide receiver Kai Meza decommitted from Minnesota, and per Rivals, has a visit set for Colorado when the Buffaloes face Iowa State on Oct. 11.

Aside from wide receivers, the Buffaloes are a program to watch for other potential flips, such as three-star defensive lineman Isaiah Broughton and three-star running back Jamarcea Plater.

While Colorado missing out on Allen is a tough blow, the program can still make a move for other recruits, and potentially bring in another pass catcher for the offense.