Kentucky '24 QB target Danny O'Neil commits to Colorado

Coach Prime has landed his quarterback of the future.

On Tuesday afternoon, class of 2024 QB Danny O’Neil announced his commitment to head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. At one point considered a Kentucky lean, Colorado moved in quickly on the highly-rated gun slinger, extending O’Neil an offer in early January and getting him on campus shortly after that. Roughly two months later, Colorado secured his commitment.

O’Neil, a three-star recruit who is ranked No. 549 overall in the junior class per the On3 Consensus, had previously visited UK on three different occasions last year, but with the departure of offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello following the end of the 2022 season, O’Neil ultimately decided to focus his attention elsewhere.

First off I would like to thank my parents for their endless love and support. You guys have given me every opportunity I could have asked for without ever questioning a thing. I want to thank my Cathedral coaches and the Morelli family for supporting me and pushing me to become… https://t.co/sZSR01QMgP pic.twitter.com/DWwAA4Dq9Z

— Danny O’Neil (@danny_oneil18) March 21, 2023

O’Neil previously told KSR+ that he was still in contact with Kentucky, but the communication slowed down once Scangarello was replaced by Liam Coen as the OC. With Coen appearing to direct his early attention towards a trio of talented class of 2025 QBs — four-stars Cutter Boley (KY) and Ryan Montgomery (OH) along with rising star Stone Saunders (PA) — things quickly cooled down with O’Neil.

“It’s being able to come in and compete for a spot early, not being handed a spot, necessarily, but fighting for it and having an equal opportunity to fight for it early,” O’Neil told KSR+ in February about what he’s looking for in a school. “Being in a system that fits my skill set, playing for coaches that have my back, and being in a stable coaching environment where I’m going to be with the guy that I committed to.” 

O’Neil pushes Colorado’s ’24 class to No. 15 in the nation, which already includes three four-star commits. Coach Sanders has also signed two QBs from the ’23 class: Ryan Staub (CA) and Kasen Wiseman (GA), but O’Neil is ranked higher than both.

As a junior at Cathedral (IN) last season, O’Neil completed 207 of 329 attempts (62.5%) for 2,654 yards and 32 touchdowns, leading his team to a 10-2 finish. He suited up at Cathedral alongside Kentucky class of 2023 four-star DL signee Kendrick Gilbert.

O’Neil is the fifth commitment in the 2024 cycle for Coach Sanders, who is rapidly accumulating a wealth of talent before his first season in charge. Colorado finished the 2023 recruiting cycle with the 33rd-best class nationally, which featured five-star CB Cormani Lakeland along with Jackson State (where Sanders coached last season) five-star WR transfer Travis Hunter. Former Kentucky RB Kavosiey Smoke is part of that group as well after transferring to the Buffaloes in the offseason.