Colorado's Devin Rispress has been helping the Buffs stack big recruiting wins this cycle

No question Colorado has one of the best closers on the recruiting trail in head football coach Deion Sanders.

The charismatic NFL Hall of Famer is fantastic when coveted prospects and their families come on campus in Boulder to take a look at the Buffaloes program. Then when you point towards the accelerated turnaround this team is having in year two as they compete for a Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoff, there is a lot to be excited about regarding the future.

Recruiting is a grind and the day-to-day foundation of Colorado’s success has come from a terrific off-field staff led by General Manager David Kelly and his team that includes Director of Player Personnel Corey Phillips, Director of Recruiting Darius Darden-Box, Assistant Director of High School Relations Jourdan Blake and Assistant of Director of Player Personnel Devin Rispress.

Rispress in particular has been in the middle of a lot of Colorado’s big recruiting wins this cycle and has been pivotal in the Buffaloes trying to land a couple more.

The latest to go Colorado’s way was four-star receiver Adrian Wilson who announced his pledge during this past weekend’s visit prior to the big win over Cincinnati. Wilson was a former Arizona State commit that Rispress and company quietly worked behind the scenes. Now he’s the jewel of this Buff’s class.

“He was in my process every step of the way from doing my campus tour down to being in my academic meetings with me,” Wilson said of Rispress. “He is a great person to have around, and he isn’t just trying to recruit players he’s trying to build life long connections with guys and I can really see that.

“He is also a great father, which to me matters due to the fact he is a family man away from football so he truly does live by the morals anyone would want their own coach to have.”

Recruiting is obviously a passion for Rispress who is Bethune-Cookman alum that earned graduate degrees at Arkansas Tech. He coached at several Florida high schools including Gadsden County, Rickards, Amos Godby and East Gadsden, and his ties to the Sunshine State were key in Colorado flipping Miami (Fla.) Northwestern four-star safety Antonio Branch from Penn State.

“Devin definitely played a big part in my recruiting process to Colorado,” Branch said. “Just a great guy that wants to see everybody win and he’s from the crib so that’s always a part to just having someone who you can relate to when you’re so far from home. I’ve known Devin since he was coaching at FAMU (Florida A&M) so the relationship was already there.”

Florida A&M was Rispress’s first college opportunity, and after two years with the program he arrived in Boulder in January of this year and quickly made an impact.

“Deion Sanders of all the 5-stars you’ve signed over the past few years, this may be your biggest one yet,” former Florida A&M head coach Willie Simmons said. “[Rispress] is a rockstar and all I can say is everyone better watch out because with you two together!”

Branch isn’t the only Florida flip to Colorado as Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland defensive lineman Christian Hudson committed to the Buffaloes a week ago after being a verbal to UCF.

“I feel like the thing that stands out about Coach Rispress is his consistency,” Hudson said. “He’s always been a heavy recruiter. If he wants you and feels like you’re a great fit for the program he will show and prove to you why you should be there. I can say he’s a real recruiter and mentor. He impacted me because I know our relationship is real it started back when he was at FAMU my freshman year so I know our relationship is real.”

Rispress is doing all he can to help Colorado flip On300 offensive tackle Carde Smith from USC. Smith has been in Boulder for two games this fall including the win over the Bearcats.

“Devin is a real cool dude,” Smith said. “Really cares about the people at the university.”