With Colorado football’s 2026 recruiting class currently featuring just one commitment, the Buffaloes are making a strong push for elite tight end prospect Gavin Mueller. The 6’6″, 255-pound standout from Wheaton, Illinois, has narrowed his choices to four schools with his announcement set for Wednesday, May 14, at 4:20 p.m. ET.
On3 Recruits’ recent social media post suggests momentum might be swinging Colorado’s way, with recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong predicting the Buffalos could land the coveted target. This development comes after tight ends coach Brett Bartolone’s relentless recruiting efforts have kept Colorado firmly in contention despite Wisconsin currently leading prediction models.
Colorado Makes Bold Push for 6’6″ Tight End Gavin Mueller
Colorado’s tight ends coach, Bartolone, has emerged as the driving force behind the Buffaloes’ pursuit of Mueller. Making two visits to see the prospect in the past week alone, Bartolone’s relationship-building approach has positioned Colorado as a serious contender among Mueller’s final four schools that include Wisconsin, Notre Dame, and LSU.
On3’s @SWiltfong_ has logged an expert prediction for Colorado to land a top target🦬
View: https://t.co/klralrscyJ pic.twitter.com/YgI3HHOfWL
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) May 13, 2025
Mueller’s May 2 visit to Boulder left a strong impression on the 3-star recruit (4-star by some metrics).
“Obviously meeting Deion Sanders was crazy. It is kind of cool to let your dad meet their childhood hero is kind of a heartwarming thing” Mueller said of his Colorado visit experience.
The Illinois tight end further elaborated on what stood out to him about the program “I like the opportunity at Colorado. They have some good dudes, but I am confident and believe I can compete with anyone. Boulder is beautiful.”
Mueller brings impressive physical tools to the position. Currently ranked as the 41st tight end nationally and 17th overall prospect in Illinois for the 2026 class, his recruitment has intensified as his decision date approaches.
When discussing his development and athletic upside, Mueller expressed confidence in his natural abilities. “Mainly my feel. I have all the intangibles with my speed, strength and size. I still haven’t played a full season of football in my high school career so getting as many live reps as I can” he explained.
Decision Day Approaches with Colorado in Strong Position
While On3’s prediction model currently favors Wisconsin (31.8%) over LSU (14.1%), Colorado (12.1%), and Notre Dame (7.6%), the Buffaloes’ late push has gained significant attention. This recruitment battle represents more than just adding talent, it could signal growing recruiting momentum under Deion Sanders.
Mueller completed visits to Wisconsin on April 23, Colorado on May 2, and scheduled a visit to LSU on May 9 before his May 14 announcement. Bartolone’s aggressive approach and Sanders’ star power have kept the Buffs in serious contention despite facing stiff competition from traditional powerhouses.
Landing a prospect of Mueller’s caliber would give Colorado’s 2026 class a significant boost.
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He would join their lone current commit, Domata Peko Jr. Mueller’s combination of size, athletic potential, and room for development makes him exactly the type of game-changing tight end prospect who could thrive in Boulder’s evolving offensive system under Coach Prime’s leadership.
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