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MOBILE, Ala. — Carde Smith was one of 14 recruits to ink with Colorado earlier this month.
Smith, the No. 18-ranked offensive tackle in the Rivals250 for the 2025 cycle, is set to compete for playing time instantly for the Buffaloes. He will get his first crack at securing a starting role for next season on Friday, December 20, when the four-star OT heads out West to Boulder to join Deion Sanders, Phil Loadholt, and co. as they prepare for the Alamo Bowl vs. BYU.
Like five-star OT Jordan Seaton did a year ago, Smith is aiming to see the field as soon as possible at Colorado.
“On January 9 I’ll leave for good,” Smith told Rivals of his plans at the 2024 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game practices. “It’s time to get to work.”
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Smith, who flipped his verbal commitment from Auburn to USC ahead of his senior season at Mobile (Ala.) Williamson High School, started to give Sanders’ program more consideration after his first visit out West.
After his October official visit, the flip was already in the works.
“After my second visit, it felt like home,” Smith said. “I’m ready for it. I’m ready to get to work.”
Smith made his decision final with a Thanksgiving night reveal just ahead of the Early Signing Period.
The NFL experience and accolades held by Sanders, Loadholt, and other coaches around Colorado made Boulder an even easier decision for Smith as he evaluated his best path to make it from Saturdays to Sundays.
“I wanted to give people a Thanksgiving for real,” Smith laughed. “The coaches … Coach Loadholt, being a Hall of Fame dude at right tackle, Coach Prime, and all the guys around him made it feel like home.”
“It’s amazing,” he added on his connection to Sanders. “Being a head coach, a head coach that’s a gold-jacket guy, it’s amazing.”