Meet Colorado football's next top recruits in the Class of 2027

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Meet Colorado football's next top recruits in the Class of 2027

Fossil Ridge's Caleb Camping signals a SaberCats first down after completing a pass during the season-opening game against Loveland on Aug. 28, 2025 at Ray Patterson Field in Loveland, Colo.

College football’s National Signing Day is here for the Class of 2026, with the latest signing period opening Feb. 4.

Class of 2027, that means you’ve officially got next.

Colorado already has a strong class of three- and four-star recruits with interest from FBS and Power 4 programs. These juniors are heading into a crucial recruiting spring and summer ahead of their senior seasons in the fall of 2026.

Here’s an early look at the Colorado football recruiting Class of 2027, based on 247Sports’ ranking:

Jackson Roper, Cherry Creek

  • Position: Offensive line
  • Recruiting ranking: 4 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Holds offers from Power 4 programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Washington. He also has offers from Colorado, Colorado State and more.
  • Notable: The 6-foot-5 Roper transferred to Cherry Creek after two years at Regis Jesuit and is widely considered Colorado’s top Class of 2027 prospect. He helped pave the way for another Cherry Creek Class 5A state title in 2025.

Troy Mailo, Mullen

  • Position: Edge/DE
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Has offers from over two dozen FBS schools, including powers like Michigan and Oklahoma plus in-state CU/CSU, Arizona, Arizona State, Kansas, Kansas State, Utah, Washington and more.
  • Notable: The 6-foot-3 pass rusher was a second-team all-state selection after posting 16.5 tackles for loss with eight sacks as a junior.

Reis Russell, Valor Christian

  • Position: Offensive line
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Holds offers from top programs like Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M and more.
  • Notable: The 6-foot-3 offensive lineman is projected as an interior OL at the next level. Russell was the enforcer on an offensive front that propelled the Eagles to over 5,000 total yards and a 5A semifinal trip last season.

Jackson Coleman, Valor Christian

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Oregon, Utah, CU, CSU, Minnesota, Missouri and Kansas State have offered, among others.
  • Notable: The lanky wideout was a 5A all-state honorable mention after a 2025 season that saw him grab 45 catches for 975 yards and nine touchdowns.

Matthew Schimberg, Grandview

  • Position: Tight end
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Offers include Cal, Kansas, Minnesota, Oregon State, San Diego State and in-state CSU.
  • Notable: The big tight end is an emerging raw prospect who is also a baseball standout. Schimberg (a 5A all-state honorable mention) can use his big frame as a blocking threat and also caught 26 passes for 252 yards and two scores in the 2025 season.

Christian Mbamarah, Cherokee Trail

  • Position: Athlete
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Has offers from Arizona, Duke, Kansas, Kansas State, Northwestern, Syracuse, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Oregon State, CSU and more.
  • Notable: The two-way Cougars standout is climbing up recruiting boards thanks to elite athleticism. Mbamarah had 65 tackles and nine pass breakups last season to go along with 217 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Alijah Landrum-Hamilton, Cherry Creek

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Committed to: Wyoming
  • Other interested schools (per 247Sports): Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon State, CSU and more.
  • Notable: Landrum-Hamilton made his mark on a Bruins offense brimming with talent, helping Cherry Creek win the 5A state title in 2025 with 35 catches for 532 yards and eight touchdowns.

Brooklyn Bailey, Mountain Vista

  • Position: Athlete
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Arizona, Kansas, Utah, CU, CSU, Oregon State and more.
  • Notable: Bailey was a 5A first-team all-state pick in 2025, and with good reason. He played both ways, amassing 1,312 receiving yards with 20 TDs on offense and grabbing three interceptions with 10 pass deflections on defense.

Liam Chang, Cherry Creek

  • Position: Offensive line/tackle
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Syracuse, Kansas State, Nevada and more.
  • Notable: Chang was limited by an ankle injury last season with Valor Christian but still made a big impression. The lineman allowed no pressures or sacks in four games and transferred to Cherry Creek for his senior campaign.

Caleb Camping, Fossil Ridge

  • Position: Tight end
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Growing offer list includes Arizona State, Cal, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oregon State, Washington State, CSU, UNLV and more.
  • Notable: The SaberCat tight end is a prospect to watch after his first full season as a varsity starter. Camping has a big frame and can play defensive end or tight end, where he had 40 catches for 391 yards in 2025. He can also punt, averaging nearly 40 yards per kick with a long of 56 last fall.

Fossil Ridge's Eli Swanson (15) and Caleb Camping (87) celebrate after a touchdown during the Canvas Classic high school football rivalry game against Fort Collins High School on Sept. 26, 2025, at CSU's Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo.

Karson McKenzie, Cherry Creek

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Offer list as of early February includes Wyoming, New Mexico, Toledo and more.
  • Notable: McKenzie is listed on recruiting sites as a wide receiver but mostly played defense last season. He was plenty good on that side of the ball, leading Bruin defensive backs with 90 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups for the state’s No. 1 defense in 2025.

Phoenix Jenkins, Pine Creek

  • Position: Offensive line/tackle
  • Recruiting ranking: 3 stars
  • Interested schools (per 247Sports): Holds offers from Oklahoma State, Central Michigan, Liberty, Toledo, in-state Northern Colorado and more.
  • Notable: The 5A all-state honorable mention paved the way for an Eagles offense that ran for nearly 3,000 yards at over six yards a pop.

Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Meet Colorado football’s next top recruits in the Class of 2027

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