A receiver whom Julian Lewis knew growing up in Georgia just committed to the Colorado Buffaloes over the Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, and Ole Miss Rebels, among others.
This was the second major victory for a prospect in SEC territory in as many days for the Buffs. Coach Prime added 4-star Bessemer City (AL) DL Emanuel Ruffin to his 2026 recruiting class on Thursday, beating out Alabama, LSU, and Ole Miss, among other interested SEC programs in the southeast.
Christian Ward, a native of Carrollton who attends IMG Academy, committed to Deion Sanders and Co., expanding the IMG Academy pipeline that’s also brought former 5-star left tackle Jordan Seaton to Boulder.
As BuffZone’s Brian Howell noted, Ward had 33 offers and still decided on CU.
“Ward has received 33 scholarship offers and chose CU over Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Mississippi and more. Ward, who has grown up in Georgia and knows CU quarterback JuJu Lewis, took an official visit to CU during the weekend of Sept. 5, when CU played Delaware,” Howell wrote.
“As a junior in 2024 at Walton High School in Marietta, Ga., Ward caught 46 passes for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns.”
Lewis has been floated as a potential transfer portal entry this offseason, but that’s starting to look like early-season drama-maxing from the national media to keep Coach Prime as relevant as possible.
Clearly, Lewis is part of the Buffs’ future plans enough to be a selling point for a recruit like Ward.
Lewis signed on to wait a bit before starting and could’ve hit the portal after learning Kaidon Salter transferred in from the Liberty Flames.
He stayed, and now someone he grew up with is joining. Doesn’t sound like a future flight risk.