Five names to know ahead of the Early Signing Period

The Early Signing Period is here.

From Wednesday morning through Friday night, high school seniors across the country will sign their National Letters of Intent, which will bind them to the colleges they’ve committed too.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ coaching staff will have a chance to breathe a sigh of relief after finally closing on most of its 2020 class, although there are a few exceptions. While most signees choose to lock in their scholarships during this three-day window, some choose to continue their recruitment through National Signing Day on Feb. 5.

That’s the next time recruits can put pen to paper and make their new homes official.

Here’s who you should know about as the 2020 Colorado Buffaloes recruiting class officially fills out:

BRENDON LEWIS

QB | Melissa, TX (Melissa HS) | 6’2″ | 209 lbs.

Brendon Lewis could be Colorado’s next QB1.

Now that Steven Montez has moved on to the great beyond of the NFL draft process Colorado’s biggest question heading into the 2020 season is: “Who will be the starting quarterback?”

There’s a very real chance that Mel Tucker’s coaching staff will opt to skip the stopgap and jump straight into the Brendon Lewis Era.

Lewis tore up the 4A level of Texas High School, earning his first All-State selection as a sophomore. The dual-threat athlete put up 103 passing touchdowns in three years as a starter and only 17 interceptions. He also ran for 39 more scores on nearly eight yards per carry.

Lewis has been one of Colorado’s top 2020 recruits since he committed over the summer and he figures to be a very important part of the Buffs’ future.

The lingering question is when this future will begin.

Lewis is signing his Letter of Intent at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Here are highlights from a game that shows off Lewis’ running ability:

BRENDEN RICE

WR | Chandler, AZ (Hamilton HS) | 6’2″ | 205 lbs.

While quarterback Brendon Lewis’ recruitment has been fairly uneventful, the same can’t be said of wide receiver Brenden Rice.

Rice committed to Colorado in mid-October but there were still murmurs that Jim Harbaugh may be able to swipe him away to Michigan. After a final visit with the Buffs’ coaching staff last week, it seems as though Colorado is in the clear.

But nothing is certain until the ink is on the page.

Rice’s decision is set to become official to 2:30 Wednesday when he signs his Letter of Intent.

It’s going to be tough to crack the Colorado wide receiver rotation as a true freshman in 2020 but there’s no doubt that Rice, the son of NFL legend Jerry Rice has the talent to be a star in the Pac-12. Just check out this quick cutup of a few of his grabs against eventual state champion Chandler High School from this season:

ASHAAD CLAYTON

RB | New Orleans, LA (Warren Eason HS) | 6’0″ | 190 lbs.

The crown jewel of Mel Tucker’s first recruiting class at Colorado, Ashaad Clayton figures to earn a spot in the running back rotation by Week 1 of the 2020 season.

Clayton wasn’t supposed to come to Colorado. He’d garnered big-time offers from brand-name schools like Georgia, Auburn and Alabama and was set to commit to LSU this summer before the Tigers rebuffed his offer. Clayton underwent offseason knee surgery in the spring and teams became skeptical that he would retain the burst that made him one of the top ball-carriers in the nation.

Clayton ripped apart Louisiana’s high school football scene in the last month or so as he’s progressed through rehab following an offseason knee surgery. Any questions as to whether Clayton would lose his burst during the process have been put to bed following a 19-touchdown performance in the playoffs.

Yes.

19 touchdowns.

In the playoffs.

Game 1: 10 carries. 190 yards. 3 touchdowns.

Game 2: 27 carries. 268 yards. 4 touchdowns.

Game 3: 21 carries. 237 yards. 4 touchdowns.

Game 4: 20 carries. 283 yards. 4 touchdowns.

Game 5: 32 carries. 211 yards. 3 touchdowns.

That’s just insane production, but it’s brought even more suitors out of the shadows.

Clayton isn’t expected to sign Wednesday. Instead, he plans to opt for the February signing period. That means there are another two months for outside teams, namely Kansas, to swoop in and steal his signature from Colorado.

Even though he won’t be signing with the Buffs on Wednesday, Clayton’s name will be a hot topic.

Here’s a 10-minute cut-up of Clayton:

JASON HARRIS

DE | Gilbert, AZ (Higley HS) | 6’7″ | 220 lbs.

Like Clayton, defensive end Jason Harris isn’t signing a Letter of Intent this week. In fact, Harris hasn’t even committed to a school yet.

Harris will announce his decision live on ESPN2 on Jan. 2 before he plays in the Under Armour All-America. As it stands now, there’s a good chance Harris will choose CU.

If Harris winds up in Boulder he’ll rival Clayton for the top spot in the Buffs’ 2020 recruiting class. He’s a freak athlete who has received offers to Arizona, Arizona State and others to play power forward. That’s right, power forward, as in the basketball position.

Harris seems committed to football though and it makes sense. He’s dominant as a pass a rusher, though there’s still plenty of work for him to do in the weight room, as he needs to put on some weight, and on the practice field, where he needs to refine his technique.

That said, imagine combining Antonio Alfano, Mustafa Johnson and Jalen Sami with this:

CARSON LEE

C | Englewood, CO (Cherry Creek HS) | 6’2″ | 333 lbs.

Carson Lee, a local product, has been surprisingly underrated throughout the recruiting process.

He’s been dominant in the highest level of Colorado high school football and snagged offers from Michigan, Auburn, Utah and others, but he still ranks near the middle of Colorado’s commit list.

Lee’s most impressive tool is his size. He’s still in high school but he weighed in at over 330 pounds at a The Opening Regional. For reference, 2019 starting center Tim Lynott played his senior year at 300 pounds and is a legitimate NFL prospect.

Despite his size, Lee also has quick feet and surprising speed. Watch how he mauled virtually every opponent who lined up opposite him this season:

It’s going to be tough to beat out sophomore Josh Jynes for Colorado’s starting center job in 2020, but it won’t be impossible. Don’t be surprised if Lee sees the field earlier than expected.

Lee will sign his Letter of Intent at 7:30 a.m.