National Signing Day Part II: Where Colorado high school football stars in Class of 2025 are going

There was a time when the first Wednesday in February was the biggest day on the college football recruiting calendar.

Like so many other things in the sport, that has changed dramatically in the years since the adoption of the early signing period near the end of last decade.

Yet while CU and CSU had the bulk of their recruiting classes locked up by the end of the early signing period in December, there were still some fireworks locally as Northern Colorado reeled in more than a dozen Box State recruits and two other in-state three-star recruits officially signed on the dotted line.

All told, Northern Colorado added 18 players with Colorado ties, including three via the transfer portal in former Cherry Creek offensive lineman A.J. Burton (Iowa State), former Ralston Valley defensive lineman Tyrese Johnson (Washington) and former Rocky Mountain kicker Jacob Willig (CSU Pueblo). Perhaps the biggest get was Fairview wide receiver Jordan Rechel, who was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports after compiling 6,535 all-purpose yards for the Knights over four varsity seasons.

UNC’s push to recruit Colorado talent continues a recent trend under third-year head coach Ed Lamb, who also brought in two dozen Centennial State recruits last year as he attempts to turn things around in Greeley.

Aside from UNC, the other big headlines came from previously committed players either reaffirming that commitment or signing elsewhere.

Northfield offensive lineman Aidan Martin, who signed with Washington State in December, announced last month that he would follow former Cougars head coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest. The three-star recruit made that commitment official on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, three-star receiver Jeremiah Hoffman ended his roller-coaster recruitment by signing with the team he originally committed to months ago: Charlotte. The 49ers fired head coach Biff Poggi weeks before the first national signing day in December, initially putting Hoffman’s commitment in doubt. But the Cherry Creek product eventually re-committed to new head coach Tim Albin and signed on Wednesday afternoon.

Here’s a list of Colorado preps who signed letters of intent or are verbally committed to play on scholarship for FBS or FCS programs as of Wednesday, as well as those who have announced commitments to the service academies:

(Click here to view chart in mobile.)

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