The Colorado Pipeline: 65 Colorado High School Defensive Backs on D1 Rosters (2018 to 2026)
Updated: Oct 31
Colorado produces defensive backs. We set out to count how many Colorado high school DBs have reached NCAA Division I rosters since 2018, and we checked every name against an official roster or a recruiting source before it made the list.
The verified total is 65 players on FBS or FCS rosters between 2018 and 2026. Treat that number as a minimum. No official database tracks this, and roster coverage of out-of-state programs and FCS walk-ons is still partial, so the true total is almost certainly higher.
The Class Breakdown
Graduation classes on the list run from 2014 to 2026. The class of 2024 is the biggest group with 11 players, followed by 2018, 2021 and 2025 with 8 each. Fifty-nine players have a confirmed or estimated class, and 6 are still unconfirmed.
The smaller counts for 2019, 2020 and 2022 most likely reflect which rosters could be loaded for those seasons. Northern Colorado's 2021 and 2022 rosters and Colorado State's 2019, 2020 and 2022 rosters were not fully checked.
Where Colorado DBs Land
Northern Colorado (FCS): 26 players, the largest single destination. Its rosters list Colorado high school DBs every year checked, often 6 to 10 per season. Most are walk-ons or preferred walk-ons with no recruiting-service ranking.
Colorado (FBS): 15 players. Many arrived through walk-on spots, such as Ben Finneseth and Jordan Woolverton from Durango. The 2026 CU defensive back group lists Finneseth and Kole Mathis as returners alongside 14 newcomers, none identified as Colorado high school products.
Colorado State (FBS): 13 players, usually two to five Colorado DBs per season. Its 2026 signee Atticus Tillman of Arvada West is rated the No. 18 recruit in Colorado for 2026 by 247Sports.
Out of state: Wyoming (4) and Nebraska (3) are the main verified destinations, along with Wisconsin, Rice, Eastern Michigan, Washington State and Lindenwood.
The In-State Pipeline
Fifty-seven of the 65 players spent time at a Colorado D1 program: CU, Colorado State, Northern Colorado or Air Force. Only 8 played Division I exclusively outside the state.
For a Colorado defensive back, the clearest D1 path on this list runs through the four in-state programs.
The Feeder Schools
Cherry Creek leads with 7 Division I defensive backs, and Eaglecrest follows with 5. Aurora stands out as a city: 16 of the 65 players came from Aurora high schools, including Eaglecrest, Cherokee Trail, Regis Jesuit, Grandview, Overland and Vista Peak Prep.
The Full List: 65 Colorado DBs
Sorted by high school graduation class. "Confirmed" means a recruiting service, signing class, MaxPreps or news report states the class. "Est." means the class was worked out from the roster year. Redshirts and gap years can shift an estimate by one year.
# | Player | Colorado High School | D1 Program(s) | HS Class |
1 | Evan Worthington | Cherokee Trail (Aurora) | Colorado (FBS) | 2014 (confirmed) |
2 | Daniel Talley | Regis Jesuit (Aurora) | Colorado (FBS); began at CSU-Pueblo (D2) | 2014 (confirmed) |
3 | Griffin Foulk | Broomfield | Colorado (FBS) | 2016 (est.) |
4 | Adonis Rufran | William J. Palmer (Colorado Springs) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2017 (est.) |
5 | Christian Cumber | Mullen (Denver) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2017 (confirmed) |
6 | Ray Robinson | Highlands Ranch | Colorado (FBS) | 2018 (est.) |
7 | Dustin Johnson | Cherry Creek | Colorado (FBS); Northern Colorado (FCS) link unconfirmed | 2018 (est.) |
8 | Brock Miller | Lakewood | Colorado (FBS) | 2018 (est.) |
9 | Anthony Lyle | Legacy (Broomfield) | Eastern Michigan (FBS); Colorado (FBS) | 2018 (est.) |
10 | Ryan Travis | Boulder | Colorado (FBS) | 2018 (est.) |
11 | James Jones IV | Mullen (Denver) | Air Force (FBS) | 2018 (est.) |
12 | Aaron Harris | Grandview | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2018 (est.) |
13 | Trey Jones | Cherry Creek | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2018 (est.) |
14 | Carson Brantley | Cherry Creek | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2019 (est.) |
15 | Jon Nuschy | La Junta | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2019 (est.) |
16 | Trey Cardenas | Loveland | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2019 (est.) |
17 | Chris Ditzenberger | Cherry Creek | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2019 (est.) |
18 | Max Lofy | Pine Creek (Colorado Springs) | Wisconsin (FBS); Rice (FBS) | 2020 (confirmed) |
19 | Griffin Vander Waerdt | Chaparral (Parker) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2020 (est.) |
20 | Henry Blackburn | Fairview (Boulder) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2020 (est.) |
21 | Jalen Mergerson | Eaglecrest (Aurora) | Air Force (FBS) | 2020 (est.) |
22 | Zaire Jackson | Valor Christian | Wyoming (FBS) | 2021 (confirmed) |
23 | Trey Ortega III | Broomfield | Colorado (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
24 | Ben Finneseth | Durango | Colorado (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
25 | Jordan Woolverton | Durango | Colorado (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
26 | Langston Williams | Eaglecrest (Aurora) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
27 | Duante Davis | Poudre (Fort Collins) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
28 | Liam Huber | Fairview (Boulder) | Colorado State (FBS); Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2021 (est.) |
29 | Jake Martin | Lewis-Palmer (Monument) | Air Force (FBS) | 2021 (est.) |
30 | Malique Singleton | Grandview (Aurora) | Wyoming (FBS) | 2022 (confirmed) |
31 | Jace Bellah | Pueblo South | Colorado State (FBS) | 2022 (est.) |
32 | Tyson Williams | Loveland | Colorado State (FBS) | 2022 (est.) |
33 | D'Andre Barnes | Regis Jesuit (Aurora) | Nebraska (FBS) | 2023 (confirmed) |
34 | Nathanial Watson | Rock Canyon (Highlands Ranch) | Colorado (FBS); Wyoming (FBS) | 2023 (est.) |
35 | Braylen Warren | Cherry Creek | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2023 (est.) |
36 | Carver Cheeks | Mesa Ridge (Colorado Springs) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2023 (est.) |
37 | Komari Owens | Overland (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2023 (est.) |
38 | Kaleb Quammie | Brighton | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2023 (est.) |
39 | Rex Guthrie | Heritage (Littleton) | Nebraska (FBS) | 2024 (confirmed) |
40 | Kole Mathis | Fairview (Boulder) | Colorado (FBS) | 2024 (confirmed) |
41 | Dagan Myers | Chatfield (Littleton) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2024 (est.) |
42 | Kylan Studebaker | Legacy (Broomfield) | Colorado State (FBS) | 2024 (est.) |
43 | Doren Sacha | Thomas Jefferson (Denver) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
44 | Myles McClarity | Fountain-Fort Carson | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
45 | Cory Jackson Jr. | Eaglecrest (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
46 | Jackson Quammie | Brighton | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
47 | Elijah Thomas | Valor Christian | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
48 | Carson Keach | Ponderosa (Parker) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
49 | Cam Chapa | Eaglecrest (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2024 (est.) |
50 | Tanner Terch | Heritage (Littleton) | Nebraska (FBS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
51 | Aiden Knapke | Cherry Creek | Washington State (FBS); Lindenwood (FCS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
52 | Elvin Ampofo | Eaglecrest (Aurora) | Wyoming (FBS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
53 | Marquis Jamison | Cherokee Trail (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
54 | Darrell Ishman | Castle View (Castle Rock) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2025 (est.) |
55 | Owen Wind | Fossil Ridge (Fort Collins) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
56 | Nkongolo Wa-Kalonji | Grandview (Aurora) | Air Force (FBS) | 2025 (est.) |
57 | Mikhail Benner | Broomfield | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2025 (confirmed) |
58 | Atticus Tillman | Arvada West | Colorado State (FBS) | 2026 (confirmed) |
59 | Joshua Gallien | Vista Peak Prep (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS) | 2026 (est.) |
60 | Curtis Appleton II | Cherry Creek | Colorado (FBS); began at Washburn (D2) | Unconfirmed |
61 | Logan Stewart | Mountain View (Loveland) | Colorado State (FBS); began at Iowa Central CC | Unconfirmed |
62 | Trustin Oliver | Legend (Parker) | Colorado (FBS); began at Iowa Western CC | Unconfirmed |
63 | Joshua Harvey | Regis Jesuit (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS); began at Emporia State (D2) | Unconfirmed |
64 | Zach Pekarek | Ponderosa (Parker) | Northern Colorado (FCS); began at Nebraska-Kearney (D2) | Unconfirmed |
65 | Evan Harrell | Cherokee Trail (Aurora) | Northern Colorado (FCS); began at Sierra College (JC) | Unconfirmed |
Notes on Specific Players
Dustin Johnson: confirmed at Colorado. A 2023 Northern Colorado roster lists a Denver DB that was cross-referenced to him, but that link is unconfirmed.
Max Lofy: played 29 games over three seasons at Wisconsin, then was medically retired at Rice after a physical revealed heart complications, per The Gazette (Feb. 2025).
Aiden Knapke: signed with Washington State in December 2024. Lindenwood's roster lists him as a sophomore DB in 2026 and credits him with 11 games and 10 tackles in 2025.
D'Andre Barnes: entered the transfer portal from Nebraska. His next school is unconfirmed.
Christian Cumber: Colorado State's 2020 roster bio lists him as a 2017 Mullen graduate with 2018 and 2019 seasons at CSU.
Kole Mathis: listed with an Arlington, Texas hometown and played his senior season at Fairview in Boulder.
Mikhail Benner: a three-star prospect per 247Sports who committed to Central Michigan and then Air Force, per BVM Sports (Aug. 2024). Northern Colorado's 2025 roster lists him as a freshman CB from Broomfield High School with no previous college.
How We Built This List
Official roster pages for Colorado, Colorado State, Northern Colorado, Air Force, Wyoming and Nebraska, checked season by season where they loaded.
Signing-day announcements from Northern Colorado, Wyoming, CU, Colorado State and Nebraska.
Recruiting databases (247Sports, On3/Rivals, ESPN and MaxPreps) to confirm graduation classes.
To make the list, a player had to attend a Colorado high school and appear as DB, CB, S, SS, FS or nickel on a D1 roster in 2018 or later.
Know a Colorado DB who belongs on this list? Send us the name, high school and D1 roster link and we will verify it for the next update.
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