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4-star OT Carde Smith set to commit on National Signing Day, Colorado still trending

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•11/26/24•

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Carde Smith

Mobile (Ala.) Williamson four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith decommitted from USC on Nov. 20, coming back on the board with just a couple of weeks until National Signing Day.

Smith, also a former Auburn commit, now knows when he’ll make his third and final decision. He told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman on Tuesday evening that he will announce his commitment on Dec. 4, the first day of the Early Signing Period.

The 6-foot-6.5, 295-pounder is the No. 228 overall prospect and No. 20 OT in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 15 player in Alabama.

On3 ranks Smith higher than other recruiting services, as he checks in as the No. 140 recruit, No. 12 OT and No. 5 player in the Yellowhammer State, per the updated On300.

Deion Sanders and Colorado look to be in the driver’s seat for Smith, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. He’s taken multiple visits to Boulder this fall and could reunite with former USC pledge and new Buffs quarterback commit Julian Lewis.

CU started to seriously pick up momentum earlier this month before Smith decommitted from the Trojans. Since Nov. 11, four picks have been logged in favor of the Big 12 program landing Smith’s commitment.

“The one-time Auburn commit flipped to USC and now the Buffaloes look to be on the verge of flipping him from the Trojans. Smith sees an opportunity to play right away in Boulder, and the way the program has performed on the field this season has caught his attention,” On3’s Chad Simmons wrote earlier this month.

Colorado has a pair of offensive line commits in the mix thus far in Nashville Lipscomb Academy four-star interior OL Chauncey Gooden and West Bloomfield (Mich.) three-star OT Jay Gardenhire-Crooks. The Buffs made a splash at the end of last cycle by landing Five-Star Plus+ OT Jordan Seaton out of IMG Academy.

In total, the class currently features 11 commits and ranks just No. 49 in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Sanders and his staff are in on multiple other targets down the stretch with NSD right around the corner.