The No. 1 prospect in the 2019 class is transferring to Colorado

One of the most talented recruits in the 2019 class is bound for Boulder.

Defensive end Antonio Alfano committed to the University of Colorado Monday night, a source confirmed to DNVR. Alfano signed with Alabama out of high school but entered the transfer portal in October.

It’s still unknown whether Alfano will be eligible to play for the Buffs in 2020. He has four years of college football eligibility remaining but the NCAA mandates that student-athletes must sit out a season after transfrering. However, Alfano will likely apply for a waiver from the NCAA to become eligible next fall.

How exactly Alfano wound up a Buff is still unclear.

The star pass rusher was the No. 1-ranked recruit in the entire country in 247Sports’ final rankings. He enrolled early at Alabama and notched two sacks in a breakout spring game performance.

By September, something had changed.

“I just know that the guy basically quit. He quit going to class, he quit coming here,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said in a September media availability. “Until he responds, you just have to assume the guy quit.”

Alfano’s family said on Twitter that his grandmother became very ill and was fighting for her life around this time. No update has been given on the status of Alfano’s grandmother but it seems as though the defensive end is prepared to give college football another run.

Alfano’s decision to attend the University of Colorado has long been speculated. Buffs head coach Mel Tucker was the defensive coordinator at Alabama in 2015, which sparked immediate conjecture that his connections may help him land the transfer when news broke that Alfano was leaving Tuscaloosa.

The speculation came to a head Friday when Alfano posted on Instagram that he was in Gypsum, Colorado.

Three days later, Alfano signed his financial aid paperwork, making his decision official.

At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, Alfano has prototypical size for a pass rusher. He’s a freak athlete who has drawn comparisons to former Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa. As a senior at Colonia High School in New Jersey, Alfano posted 10 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. He also blocked a field goal.

If Alfano’s waiver is granted by the NCAA, he’d be a favorite to start on the defensive line as a redshirt freshman next season. Colorado could use a boost to the pass rush, as the Buffs currently rank 11th in the Pac-12 with 1.67 sacks per game.

Here are some highlights from Alfano’s senior year of high school: