The list of standout football players at Colorado who grew up in Florida is short.
All-American punter Mark Mariscal (2000-02) came from Tallahassee and running back Herchell Troutman (1994-97) came to CU from Naples.
There were a handful of Floridians in starting roles in the early 1980s and in the past few years, Guy Thomas (Miami) and Carson Wells (Bushnell) have been the Buffs’ best edge rushers. And, running back Anthony Hankerson (Boynton Beach) showed some promise as a freshman last season.
With a few exceptions, however, Florida certainly hasn’t been a recruiting hotbed for CU. But, that’s changing in a hurry with new head coach Deion Sanders.
“I love my Florida boys,” said Sanders, who grew up in Fort Myers and starred at Florida State before his Hall of Fame NFL career. “I know what they’re gonna give me, I know who they are, I know how they were raised, and we have tremendous relationships bringing those kids from Florida.
“Once they realize it ain’t that cold (in Boulder), it’s gonna be all good for my Florida boys.”
CU’s 2023 recruiting class includes seven players who grew up in Florida, which is by far the Buffs’ largest group from the Sunshine State in 45 years. That list doesn’t include tight end transfer Seydou Traore, who grew up in England but played one season at Clearwater (Fla.) Academy before going to Arkansas State in 2021.
“I plan on doubling that,” Sanders said of the number of Floridians in this class.
The only other CU coach to tap into Florida this much was Bill Mallory, who recruited seven players from there in 1978. From 1979-2022, CU recruited a total of 23 players from Florida. In only one of those years did the Buffs recruit as many as three (2020).
Traditionally, CU’s main recruiting hot spots have been Colorado, California and Texas. Those will continue to be main areas of focus, but as long as Sanders is at CU, Florida, and the South in general, will be recruited.
In addition to Florida, CU’s 2023 class includes a program-record four players from Georgia, as well as two each from Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Florida will be spotlighted because Sanders and several members of his staff grew up there or have strong ties to the state.
“We all have ties in some way and another to Florida,” Sanders said. “And I love my Florida boys. It’s just something about them that I adore. I think if you track down every successful team in college football, you’re gonna track down some Florida boys that they’re making a tremendous difference.
“The Georgia boys, they make a difference, as well. The Texas boys make a difference, as well. We want the Colorado boys to make a darn difference, tremendously, and they will. So wherever the talent is, we’re gonna go get it. We’ve just been attracted to our Floridians because we have relationships that afford us to do so, which is tremendous.”
