Commitment reaction: Buffs land Noyer

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Colorado fans can stop wondering when the Buffaloes will pick up their first pledge from the Class of 2016. Beaverton (Ore.) High quarterback Sam Noyer verbally committed to head coach Mike MacIntyre on Tuesday.

Tyler Ziskin, BuffStampede.com Fan Correspondent: "Colorado opens up their 2016 class in typical fashion, landing a quarterback. Quarterback prospects often fall off the board early in the process, with this year being no exception. And while Colorado definitely struck out on their top targets, Sam Noyer appears to be a very solid find later in the process. Ironically, the Buffs land an Oregon prospect after eliminating the Pacific Northwest from their recruiting map after struggling to garner interest in that region in previous cycles.

"Noyer appears to be a solid all-around quarterback, but doesn't have elite attributes. He's got enough mobility to maneuver the pocket and avoid the rush, and appears to possess above average footwork. He is comfortable finding his target from a myriad of throws, and impressed in camps this spring. With a solid fall, we could see some additional Pac-12 programs continue to pursue Noyer."

Adam Munsterteiger, BuffStampede.com Publisher: "As I have mentioned multiple times, it behooves Colorado to be selective and patient this recruiting cycle considering the fact they have a limited number of spots, but the Buffs did need to lock up their quarterback. Sam Noyer became the 83rd quarterback prospect from the Class of 2016 to commit to a college. He definitely appeared to be the best remaining target in a shrinking quarterback pool. While Noyer didn't have any other power conference offers, he was still drawing serious interest from Oregon State, Washington and Arizona State at the time of his commitment to the Buffs. Sometimes the difference between a recruit with one power conference offer and a prospect with multiple power conference offers is razor thin. That appears to be the case here.

"Noyer's accuracy stands out to me when I watch his film. And accuracy is the No. 1 attribute Brian Lindgren wants to have in his quarterback so it makes sense that the Buffs were so high on him. While interviewing Noyer a handful of times in the last month since CU offered, I got the sense that he is very confident in his skills, just shy of cocky. Noyer is not shy about the fact he believes he can excel at the Pac-12 level. He is also an elite baseball player that drew interest from colleges for his skills on the diamond."

Blair Angulo, Rivals.com Recruiting Analyst:"Sam Noyer was a top performer at the our inaugural Rivals Quarterback Challenge in Los Angeles three months ago, and he was very good in Las Vegas the following weekend at the Pylon 7-on-7 national tournament. Colorado is getting a quarterback that has shown a good feel for throws of all lengths, and what we really liked about him was his footwork and mechanics. He's very compact and that allows him to maintain accuracy. He showed good arm strength in Vegas despite some strong winds. Really like this pick up for the Buffs."

William Gardner, BuffStampede.com Football Analyst: "Sam Noyer's commitment is a big deal for CU football on a variety of levels. The most obvious one is getting that first commit, allowing the Buffs to get the monkey off their back of being one of just two power conference programs without a commit. It's human nature that people don't like to be the first to do things and having that first commit makes it easier for other guys to jump on board with CU. More importantly, having that first commit be a quarterback is a big deal beyond just nailing down that critical position in the recruiting class. Having a quarterback on board often has a very positive effect on other recruits. I've seen it many times over the years. I suppose most people see the quarterback as the leader of a team so having one committed helps make other recruits feel at ease to some extent.

"And it's not a commit from a nobody who doesn't belong at this level either. I always start with the caveat that I'm not an expert on quarterbacks but what I see in his film is a kid with good size who moves very well, sees the field, and always puts the ball right where it needs to be. It's impressive to me how often he hits guys in stride with almost every kind of throw no matter where he is on the field. You don't have to have a cannon for an arm to be a good quarterback at this level. More important is accuracy and Noyer certainly has that. And he can make you pay with his feet and makes good decisions. I really like what I see.

"It's too early for anyone to say with any honesty either way whether this staff can accurately evaluate quarterbacks, but what we do know is that they do their homework and they don't offer until they are completely convinced a guy can play at this level. We've seen them refuse to offer other guys they've watched that other Pac 12 teams have taken, so it's not like they are just offering every quarterback out there. They have a process and they believe in it. Say what you will but our staff does not offer quarterbacks until they've seen what they need to see."

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