Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Alabama loses 2027 commitment with Deion Sanders, Colorado looming

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 10:48 PM ET

It's not often that the Alabama Crimson Tide lose a top recruit, even in the Kalen DeBoer era, but we're in a brand new world on the college football recruiting trail.

Powerhouses from not that long ago like Florida, Wisconsin and Florida State, to name a few, have been struggling. In the meantime, programs that used to be seen as doormats, like Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt, to name two, find themselves ranked in the top 10.

That's how an ever-open transfer portal and the invention of NIL deals has changed college football, and perhaps Alabama was on the wrong side of that when it came to 4-star athlete Alexander Ward.

Ward, who plays for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, had been committed to Alabama for nearly a year, but he announced his decommitment on Monday.

According to the 247Sports Composite rankings, Ward is the No. 14 athlete in the 2027 class and the No. 27 player from the talent-laden state of Florida.

BREAKING: Four-Star ATH Alex Ward has Decommitted from Alabama, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’1 175 ATH from Marietta, GA had been Committed to the Crimson Tide since November 2024

He’s ranked as a Top 10 ATH in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals Industry)https://t.co/388ETumIrJ pic.twitter.com/D7y2DvUbUz
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 20, 2025

Deion Sanders and Colorado Buffaloes after Alexander Ward

Ward already has over 10 offers, with schools like Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among others, in the mix.

With that said, it does seem like Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes could be after Ward's commitment.

The Buffs offered the 4-star in August and he has a major tie to the program. Ward's older brother, Christian Ward, is a three-star 2026 wide receiver recruit who committed to "Coach Prime" in Colorado back in September.

The Ward brothers play on the same team right now, and the Colorado offer for Alexander would give them a chance to keep playing together at the college level.

Keegan Pope of Rivals is reporting that Sanders and the Buffaloes are expected to be in on Ward's recruitment, especially now that he's decommited from Alabama.

Ward can play wide receiver or defensive back, but he's been a defensive back for IMG Academy in 2025.

The Ward brothers transferred from Marietta, Georgia to IMG Academy ahead of this season. In 2024 for Marietta Walton High School, Alexander caught nine passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns while adding 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one pass breakup and two interceptions (including a pick-six) on defense.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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