Four-star OT Carde Smith is back on the market just days ahead of the Early Signing Period getting underway.
Smith, the newly minted No. 32-ranked offensive tackle in the Rivals250 out of Mobile (Ala.) Williamson High School in Alabama, flipped his commitment from in-state Auburn to USC after a wave of official visits to both schools as well as Mississippi State over the summer.
Smith’s decision to open up his recruitment comes on the heels of what was supposed to be his final visit of the calendar year.
After two visits to Colorado, including an official visit in October, Smith was set to return to Los Angeles for USC’s regular-season finale vs. Notre Dame. Sources close to this recruitment tell Rivals that visit was nixed earlier this month.
Deion Sanders and Phil Loadholt have led the charge to bring Smith to Boulder.
Colorado put an offer on the table for the Alabama four-star OL over the summer right before Smith declared in favor of USC. The Buffs have continued to keep their foot on the gas with Smith despite his verbal pledge to the Trojans — hosting him two times for games in the fall and visiting him at Williamson High School last month.
“Ever since I got the offer, they have been on me,” Smith told Rivals. “I really like the culture and who they are, and they say I can come in and play early if I come in and work for it. I like the fact that the coaches keep it real with me.”
“They want me bad,” he asserted. “They have been pushing for me ever since they offered me, and ever since then, it has been amazing. They have been reaching out at least once a week.”
The visits to Boulder have resonated well with Smith.
“It was amazing, I loved the energy,” Smith told Rivals. “The game, being around everyone, everything really. It was great going to the student section and seeing my name on the poster was also great. I loved the game atmosphere and the student section,” Smith explained.
Colorado is trending on the Rivals FutureCast with one of the top offensive tackles in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
