Tennessee CB signee Kaleb Beasley got a late push from Colorado before signing with the Vols

In the last two recruiting cycles, current Colorado coach Deion Sanders, formerly of Jackson State, pulled off 11th-hour cornerback flips in five-star recruits Travis Hunter (2022) and Cormani McClain (2023). With the help of a connection on his coaching staff, “Coach Prime” nearly added another elite cornerback to the fold in Kaleb Beasley.

About a year ago, the Buffs offered the 5-foot-11½, 170-pound Beasley, a longtime Tennessee commit. Beasley, a top 150 recruit in the 2024 cycle, signed with the Volunteers on Dec. 20. But there was nearly some National Signing Day drama. 

Sanders made a run at the On3 Industry Rankings No. 145 overall player and No. 20 cornerback in the 2024 class this December. Beasley, also the On3 Industry Ranking’s No. 4 prospect in Tennessee, almost officially visited Colorado before the December NCAA recruiting dead period began on Dec. 17. 

“I put in a decent amount of consideration to it, I’m not going to lie,” Beasley told On3 during Friday’s Under Armour All-America Game media day in Orlando, Florida. “My dad played with one of the coaches there. So, I was considering it, but at the same time, I knew where I would go.

“I was about to go down and down there and visit. I was going to take the OV (official visit) in early December, but I did not go.” 

Beasley’s father, Terrio Beasley, played with Colorado director of player personnel Corey Phillips at Austin Peay in the early 2000s. 

A potential opportunity for the Beasleys to reconnect with Phillips could have also created a domino effect in his recruitment. The younger Beasley would have considered rescheduling a Notre Dame official visit after not making it to South Bend, Ind., for the Ohio State game on Sept. 23 as he originally planned. 

“It probably would have been Colorado and Notre Dame — yeah, definitely,” Kaleb Beasley said. “It definitely would have been both. I respect Notre Dame and love the coaches there. They’re so cool.” 

But instead of helping Sanders pull off another National Signing Day stunner, Beasley stayed true to Tennessee and signed with the Volunteers without a hiccup.

“I knew all the players at Tennessee,” he said. “That was big for me as to why I committed. It was somewhere that I felt like home and where I knew people. The fans at Tennessee were really supportive.” 

On3 ranks Beasley as the No. 103 overall player and No. 17 cornerback in the 2024 recruiting class. He is also the No. 2 recruit in Tennessee.