Colorado State football lands two big-time recruits

Ah, summer in Fort Collins. The sun’s shining, the birds are chirping and beers are cracking all across the city. Residents are even more relaxed than usual – which is saying a lot – as everyone enjoys the best of what Colorado has to offer.

It’s the perfect time to bring in recruits, which is what the Colorado State Rams football team has been doing this weekend.

And, according to Ryan Krous and one of the players himself, the Rams landed two big-time recruits on Saturday.

The first commit was offensive lineman Jeff Taylor out of Georgia, who posted on Instagram and Twitter:

Thank you to everyone that has supported me stuck with me while I decided where I wanted to continue my football pic.twitter.com/gbbrADG7I5

— Jeff Taylor (@Im_therealJeff) July 25, 2015

The youngster has one more year to play in Jonesboro, Georgia before heading up to Colorado and wear the green and gold. Taylor is a behemoth for a high school juior, standing 6-foot-3 and 290-pounds, giving him the size to excel at offensive guard. The 3-star lineman is a bully, a beast against the much smaller high schoolers, showing an ability and willingness to block not only at the line but in the second level as well.

“Just the family atmosphere up there with all of the coaches, I had an instant connection with all of the coaches and I wanted somewhere that If I’m going to spend 3 to 4 years there I want it to feel like my second home,” Taylor told 247sports.com.

Here’s a look at Taylor’s hudl highlight tape:

Second up was Isaiah Pannuzio of Pueblo, Colorado.

Pueblo South 2016 LB/TE Isiah Pannunzio committed to Colorado State this afternoon at #CSU‘s skills camp. Also had #AFA, #CU and #Wyo offers — Ryan Krous (@RyanKrous) July 24, 2015

Per Krous, this is the second time Pannuzio committed to CSU. The first time was when he committed to Jim McElwain, but then de-committed following the coach’s departure. Colorado State and Mike Bobo won out over the Rams three biggest rivals in the Colorado Buffaloes, Wyoming Cowboys and Air Force Falcons.

Pannuzio is a 6-foot-2 210-pound outside linebacker/tight end. Of course, CSU may be looking at him more as a tight end when considering both Kory Sperry and current pass-catcher Kivon Cartwright are each from Pueblo as well.

It must be noted that Bobo is recruiting his home state of Georgia hard, and Taylor being the coach’s first verbal commit from the state is representative of those efforts to bring big-time players to Colorado State.