All the Colorado creative team had to do was dust off some old photos of Samuel Okunlola Tuesday evening. The Pittsburgh transfer edge rusher announced his commitment to the Buffs, but his name is not a new one around CU.
The former four-star prospect, who had over 50 offers as a member of the 2022 class, took an official visit to Boulder just over two years ago. The Buffs were able to get him on campus just ahead of the early signing period, but he ultimately inked a National Letter of Intent with the Panthers.
A new regime is in place at Colorado however, and now Okunlola has decided it is the right time to join the Buffs.
The Brockton, Massachusetts native took to social media to announce his pledge using a photo from his previous trip out to Boulder. Since entering the portal, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive end added a long list of offers.
USC, Texas A&M, Washington, Florida State, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Missouri and Arkansas are some of the schools that pushed to add the redshirt freshman.
Okunlola will have three years of remaining eligibility with the Buffs after playing in 15 games across two seasons with the Panthers. The new CU edge rusher contributed in 11 games this season and finished with 18 tackles to go along with 6 tackles for loss and 5 sacks.
He shined in Pitt's win over Louisville as Okunlola put together a career performance against the Cardinals in October. He finished the game with 4 tackles (2 solo) to go with a strip sack that he then recovered.
Okunlola also has starting experience as well after getting the nod in his final two games at Pitt in matchups against Boston College and Duke.
He is now the 16th transfer commitment for Colorado since the end of the regular season. He joins Quency Wiggins (LSU), Anquin Barnes, Jr. (Alabama) and Chidozie Nwankwo (Houston) as the defensive linemen to give the Buffs their commitments in the last week.
CU has retained its hold on the top spot in the Rivals transfer team rankings for 2024 over Louisville and Ole Miss.
Colorado's offseason transfer portal additions
– DL Samuel Okunlola (Pittsburgh)
– DL Chidozie Nwankwo (Houston)
– DT Anquin Barnes (Alabama)
– QB Walter Taylor (Vanderbilt)
– WR Cordale Russell (TCU)
– DE Quency Wiggins (LSU)
– CB Preston Hodge (Liberty)
– OLB Keaten Wade (Kentucky)
– QB Destin Wade (Kentucky)
– WR Will Sheppard (Vanderbilt)
– TE Chamon Metayer (Cincinnati)
– OL Kahlil Benson (Indiana)
– OL Justin Mayers (UTEP)
– WR Terrell Timmons, Jr. (NC State)
– OL Tyler Johnson (Houston)
– OL Yakiri Walker (Connecticut)