The latest cut brings Colorado football one step closer to landing a high-profile prospect.

Football in Colorado is having a difficult time, and a road game against No. 1 will bring more hardship.
Next Saturday, 25 UCLA.
The team’s defensive strategy needs to be drastically altered during the bye week, according to head coach Deion Sanders.
However, that does not just refer to pre-game preparation.
On the frontlines of recruitment, there is also a lot of work to be done.

Riley Pettijohn, No. According to Hayes Fawcett of On3 .
com, the No. 3 ranked linebacker in the 2025 class has reduced the number of schools on his list to 12. The Buffaloes are a part of a select group that also includes elite programs like Michigan, Florida State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Texas.

USC, another defensively troubled team in the Pac-12 and opponent of Colorado until 2024, is also vying for the outstanding player.
According to the predictions of On3 .
com’s recruiting prediction machine, SMU is currently expected to sign Pettijohn, but one should not undervalue Sanders’ appeal.
Few recruiting challenges he cannot overcome given that he has won commitments from top talent like Travis Hunter.

Duke Pettijohn, a former defensive lineman for the NFL and star at Syracuse, is the father of Pettijohn, who should be aggressively pursued by his potential suitors.
For McKinney High School last season, the Texas native recorded 42 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks. His high potential makes him the ideal choice to eventually head up a redesigned Buffaloes defense.

Deion Sanders is aware that it will take a few key additions before he can take Colorado football to the highest level of the league.
Riley Pettijohn is a potential powerhouse who makes it more likely that he will achieve that status, which he appears to want quickly.