Maddox Kopp rising on Colorado's list of 2021 quarterback targets
In the last few weeks, a small handful of Class of 2021 quarterbacks have appeared as blips on Colorado's radar. Cameron Friel, a UNLV commit, recently picked up an offer from CU after being in touch with the Buffs since late May while Kaden McMullen, an up-and-coming signal caller from Missouri has established a line of communication with Colorado.
But perhaps as of now, Maddox Kopp, a 6-foot-5, 212-pound QB from Houston (St. Thomas) TX has stepped into the position of frontrunner. Kopp conducted a virtual visit with Colorado on June 14 and picked up an offer from the Buffs the same day.
Kopp's recruitment has taken off since an impressive showing at the Elite 11 competition back in early July. Since then, Colorado has joined Ole Miss and Miami Ohio in offering him. Central Michigan and his hometown Houston Cougars have also offered, while Texas and Vanderbilt are in communication.
Darrin Chiaverini had kept a tab on Kopp since last fall but after his Elite 11 showing, things started moving fast in terms of Colorado's interest in him, powered by Karl Dorrell and Danny Langsdorf.
“Probably right after the Elite 11 I got in contact with coach Langsdorf and coach Dorrell and talked to them on the phone a couple times," he said. "I’ve been in contact with 'coach Chev' since the middle of the football season. He’d check in on me, I talked to him after the Elite 11 and we scheduled a virtual visit. They then offered me towards the end of it.”
On the virtual visit, Langsdorf and Dorrell stressed to Kopp that they're moving with deliberate caution in working to locate QB targets for the 2021 class.
“They told me that this quarterback they’re bringing in is really important to them and to the program," he said. " They put a lot of trust in their quarterbacks and really the program is dependent on the quarterback position. They said that’s why they took awhile to offer me — they just wanted to make sure I was the right fit and that they knew what they were getting in me. Their quarterback for this class is definitely really important to them and the program.”
Kopp is listed as a Pro Style QB and while he doesn't make too many slippery escapes from the pocket in his film, displays a good arm with accurate tendencies.
Langsdorf took time during the visit to talk about how Kopp could evolve as a player in college, in particular under his guidance at Colorado.
“He has a plan for developing you and he showed me that and who he has developed and what I do well and what I can’t do well," Kopp said. "He’s not looking to change my throwing motion, he’s just looking to maximize my abilities — that’s something that was intriguing to see. He wants to develop my motion and take it to the next level.”
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Kopp was also able to get a sense for what Dorrell is about and his plans for Colorado in 2020 and beyond.
“That was one of the biggest parts of the virtual visits, talking to coach Dorrell and seeing what he had to say," Kopp said. "From what I can tell, he’s a great guy and how he expresses his love for Colorado is really intriguing (as is) the vision, goals, plan and what he expects from his players — it was something I took away from the (virtual visit)."
Kopp said as of now, he's taking things slow with his recruitment as new offers continue to roll in. A Top 5 for him might make an appearance in the next few weeks but until then, Kopp is keeping his options open.
Colorado, his second Power Five offer and first from the Pac-12, remains an intriguing opportunity
“Playing in the Pac-12 and in front of those fans is definitely appealing as well as how beautiful (Colorado) is," he said. "I’m eager to get up there and go see it for myself. But just having an opportunity to go play up there and be a part of that program is definitely appealing.”