Deion Sanders Lands Four-Star Cornerback Preston Ashley for 2026 Class
The Colorado Buffaloes added another key piece to their 2026 recruiting class on Tuesday, securing a commitment from four-star cornerback Preston Ashley. The highly sought-after recruit chose Coach Deion Sanders’ program over offers from the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles.
Ashley, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound cornerback from Brandon, Mississippi, becomes Colorado’s first four-star commitment and the first defensive back to join the class. His decision boosts Sanders’ recruiting efforts, which have been gaining momentum. Ashley joins three-star tight end Gavin Mueller from Illinois and three-star EDGE Domata Peko Jr. from California in the Buffaloes’ 2026 class.
Despite the excitement surrounding these commitments, Colorado’s class currently ranks last in the Big 12 and 110th nationally, according to 247Sports.
Ashley had received an offer from Coach Sanders in March and visited Boulder over the weekend. He expressed his admiration for the family-like atmosphere at Colorado, particularly how the program cares about players beyond football. He mentioned how the team was supportive of Travis Hunter during his wedding and highlighted the program’s strong sense of community.
Ashley is ranked as the No. 19 safety and No. 9 overall prospect in Mississippi by 247Sports. Over his first three years at Brandon High School, he accumulated 168 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
His visit to Boulder solidified his decision, as he felt his playing style would mesh well with the Buffaloes’ defensive system, which has allowed standout players like Travis Hunter to excel. Ashley believes he can thrive in Coach Livingston’s defense, which puts players in positions to make big plays.
While Ashley will be a year away from starting his college career, Colorado’s secondary will undergo significant changes next season, with players like Hunter, Shilo Sanders, and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig heading to the NFL. DJ McKinney is expected to step up as the team’s top cornerback and has already generated early NFL Draft buzz.
For the 2025 season, Colorado’s only defensive back commitment was safety TJ Branch, but Sanders and the Buffaloes staff have been active in the transfer portal, adding defensive backs like safeties Terrance Love (Auburn), John Slaughter (Tennessee), Tawfiq Byard (South Florida), Noah King (Kansas State), and cornerbacks Tyrecus Davis (Wyoming), Teon Parks (Illinois State), and Makari Vickers (Oklahoma).
Leave a Reply