Colorado loses top defensive line target to elite Big 12 program

Colorado football’s recruiting hot streak took a hit Monday evening when three-star defensive lineman Khyren Haywood, who had the Buffs in his top four, ended up not selecting any of his reported four finalists.

Instead, Haywood, a Denton, Texas native, chose the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who likely offered him a bunch of Money to stay in-state. Joining the Buffs on the disappointment list are Northwestern, Arizona and Kansas State.

247Sports Composite ranks Haywood as the No. 587 overall recruit, the No. 70 defensive line prospect and the No. 83 player from the state of Texas.

He took an official visit to Colorado on May 15, and Colorado seemed to be trending toward his commitment, but he was dealt a bit of a surprise on Monday.

When making his decision live, he originally put on the Colorado hat, then tossed it aside and picked up the Texas Tech hat from under the table, adding insult to injury for the Buff nation.

The moment @KhyrenHaywood chose Texas Tech! 🍿👀#WreckEm | @TexasTechFBpic.twitter.com/XrDdNJZ6Ee

— Dave Campbell’s — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) June 1, 2026

Colorado’s 2027 class holds steady at nine recruits and remains without a true interior defensive lineman. That could change soon, with multiple defensive linemen scheduled to be in Boulder, including borderline four-star prospect Khing Thibodeaux.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football loses Khyren Haywood to Texas Tech