Buffs add QB, three former 4-star recruits

With the offensive line rebuilt, head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are focusing on some other areas of the roster to upgrade.

On Sunday, the Buffs landed three former fourstar recruits as transfers, as well as more depth at quarterback.

Defensive end Quency Wiggins (formerly of LSU), defensive tackle Anquin Barnes (Alabama), receiver Cordale Russell (TCU) and quarterback Walter Taylor ( Vanderbilt) all announced intentions to transfer to CU.

Wiggins appeared in nine games during his two seasons with LSU, recording seven tackles and a tackle for loss.

A four-star recruit coming out of Madison Prep Academy in Baton Rouge, La., in 2022, Wiggins was rated the No. 1 prospect in Louisiana in that class, as well as the No. 9-ranked defensive lineman in the country, per 247Sports. Listed at 6-foot- 6, 265 pounds, Wiggins has three years of eligibility remaining.

Barnes appeared in two games during his three seasons at Alabama, with both appearances coming this season. He did not record any statistics. Going into the SEC title game against Georgia this month, the 6-5, 314-pound Barnes was listed third on Alabama’s depth chart at nose guard.

Rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports in the 2021 class, Barnes, from Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Ala., was recruited to the Crimson Tide by Charles Kelly, is now CU’S defensive coordinator.

The 6- 4, 210-pound Russell was a true freshman at TCU this past season, playing in three games but not recording any statistics. He has four seasons of eligibility remaining. Coming out North Mesquite ( Texas) High School, Russell was rated by 247Sports as the No. 19 overall player in Texas and the No. 18 receiver prospect in the country in the 2023 class.

Taylor wasn’t heavily recruited out of Jackson (Ala.) High School in 2022, but he was a three- star prospect rated as a top-100 quarterback in the class.

At Vanderbilt, Taylor redshirted in 2022 and played in five games this year. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound Taylor completed 5 of 15 passes for 44 yards and an interception and rushed 30 times for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Sanders has added 14 transfers since Dec. 9.