The college football programs might be too perturbed about the trade that is coming up with the spring transfer portal. But at the same time, another trajectory rules the college football landscape. That’s high school recruits choosing their next home. Right now, one player in the mix is keeping the colleges on their toes. That’s none other than 5-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo. He has got a lot of chasers, including Steve Sarkisian’s Texas and Ryan Day’s Ohio State. But now, Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes have set out the red carpet, and they will be hosting Ojo. His Colorado ticket is not yet confirmed, but the player is already getting called out for his next visit.
On April 5, On3 came up with Steve Wiltfong’s report from his interview with Ojo. “5-star OT Felix Ojo continues to feel like a top priority for Texas, he tells @SWiltfong_ .” The player went to Texas on April 3, post which he was wooed by the Longhorns. Post-Austin visit, Ojo said, “My latest visit was great. Always nice to go back and see the coaches and players.” Plus, Sarkisian’s squad made him feel like a top priority and the franchise player. But it did not take him much time to change his stance. On April 12, he got wooed by the ‘family vibes’ in Columbus. “What excites me about the Buckeyes is the opportunity to play early and the family atmosphere of the program. I’ve seen the campus facilities and pretty much everything Columbus has to offer.” But woah, hold on, a new narrative must be cooking up…
It’s now time for Ojo to pack his bags and catch a flight to Boulder. On April 16, Hayes Fawcett dropped a big update on Instagram. “NEWS: Five-Star OT Felix Ojo has locked in an Official Visit to Colorado, he tells me for @on3recruits.” Deion and his staff are likely to go to any extent to bring Ojo home, as he is a top 5 recruit. The day of visit is scheduled to be between May 2 and May 4. And Deion’s excitement about his Mission Felix Ojo got 10x. Why so? The 5-star offensive tackle holds Coach Prime’s program in high regard. “I feel like (Coach) Deion is changing the game over there at Colorado,” Ojo said of the Buffaloes. What makes the Buffs hopeful about landing the 5-star?
Deion’s army has already left behind this season’s runner-up, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Marcus Freeman and co. had been planning to host the Texas native. That’s when the player landed them a big snub. On April 7, he tweeted, “I will no longer be visiting Notre Dame on the 10th.” Now that Ojo hails Colorado as his favorite stop, he finds himself at the eye of the hate storm. Is it a sign for him to think twice before making the final call?
Fans sound off on Felix Ojo’s visit to Deion Sanders’ Colorado
Well, turns out that the fault is in the Sanders’ star. After all, we know how Deion had given his blood, sweat, and tears to snag Julian “JuJu” Lewis from the USC Trojans. The Carrollton High School star was pursued as Shedeur Sanders’ successor. From naming Boulder’s favorite joint’s burger after him (JuJu’s Precision Pass Burger) to assigning their 101-year-old superfan Peggy Coppom to root for Lewis. Coach Prime has done it all. But maybe bad luck. As soon as the quarterback landed in Boulder, he was downgraded to a four-star from a five-star by On3. The Buffs HC himself had addressed the issue.
“To whom it may concern, if u desire to come play for (Colorado) they may drop your HS rankings,” tweeted the Buffs HC. In case Ojo is not aware of how bad Lewis’ fate was, a fan came up with a heads-up. The fan commented, “If he goes there does he get dropped from a five star to a four star or he’s still a five.” Earlier accusations have been brought against Colorado about stunting the growth of the players. Florida Gators cornerback Cormani McClain accused them of “playing for clicks.” He felt unappreciated and demotivated and went in search of a “real” program. So, a fan believes that it’s going to be a downfall if Ojo goes for the Buffs camp. The comment read, “Don’t blow your career.”
The negative side of the ‘Prime Effect’ showed its teeth in the recruiting world. Colorado hasn’t been regarded as a powerhouse in college football recruiting over the past 20 years. Maybe that’s why during Lewis’ commitment to Colorado, he lost one star in his rankings. That’s when a fan had a message for Ojo. “We already know If he commits to colorado there going to drop his ranking too 4 Stars. BUT LETS GO. .”
In the 2024 season, Deion had his hits and misses. The Buffs’ running game finished the 2024 season ranked dead last nationally in yards per game, the same as it did in 2023. And when it came to their offensive line, it faced a major struggle in blocking. Now that the 5-star OT has set foot in Boulder, he is bound to catch side eyes. As an upset fan wrote, “Incoming haters in 123.”
Penalties have been one of the major issues in the Boulder camp’s past season. The Buffaloes ranked eighth nationally in most penalties committed this season, with 100. They had some big losses like 28-10 against Nebraska and 37-21 against the Kansas Jayhawks. Thus Felix Ojo’s choice of taking a trip to Colorado did not sit well with a fan who wrote, “Type s–t .” Let’s hope Ojo doesn’t let the comments kill the vibe—Boulder’s got enough drama already.
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