Buffaloes basketball secure 16th-ranked recruiting class on Early Signing Day

Tad Boyle has secured what could be his best-ever recruiting class. The Colorado Buffaloes gained the signatures of four recruits, Quincy Allen (ranked 71st nationally), Lawson Lovering (94), Javon Ruffin (241) and Julian Hammond (243).

The biggest signing of the class is Quincy Allen, who was a complete surprise to everyone when he committed back in July. The 6’7 forward is from the Maret School in Washington, D.C., not an area associated with CU recruiting. He’s an elite shooter who projects as an NBA player if he dedicates himself to filling out his body and becoming a better defender. With his catch-and-shoot ability, as well as an underrated pull-up game, he should be a high-level scorer the second he steps on the court.

The Buffs landed another top-100 recruit in Lawson Lovering, the 7’1 forward from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Lovering committed to Colorado in October 2019, then preceded to grow from an under-the-radar local boy to a potential star. He has grown, both in height and weight, and has worked considerably on his already promising game. For starters, he flashes plus shooting and rim protection for a legitimate 7-footer. He also soft hands and a knack for making the right pass.

After the two star commits, Tad Boyle went out and got extremely Tad Boyle-type combo guards. Javon Ruffin is 6’5, left handed, has a terrific basketball IQ and should be skilled enough to get the most of his abilities. Julian Hammond, meanwhile, is the best recruit in Colorado, a two-sport star who loves basketball more than he loves football. He’s not an elite athlete, but he works hard, has a good understanding of the game and should be a very competitive perimeter defender.

It’s hard to say whether or not this class will expand before National Signing Day. The Buffs are slated to replace six scholarship seniors — McKinley Wright, D’Shawn Schwartz, Jeriah Horne, Dallas Walton, Maddox Daniels and Alex Strating — so we could still see a lot of activity with graduate transfers and 2021 recruits.