Moody native Ba'Roc Willis was once Kalen DeBoer and Alabama's first commitment in the 2027 class. He pledged to the Crimson Tide during the summer of 2024. That commitment obviously didn't last, as many don't when they are given so far out. Willis decommitted from Alabama in January of last year.
From the moment he reopened his recruitment, it was obvious that Willis was not going to end up in Tuscaloosa. A difference in philosophy for his future position seemed to be the impetus. Already at 230 pounds in high school, Alabama envisioned Willis as more of a "Bandit" defensive lineman in Kane Wommack's defensive system. Willis sees himself as a stand-up edge rusher or off-ball LB.
Willis will undoubtedly get the opportunity to play where he wants to play at the spot he's now committed to.
On Tuesday, the Alabama native announced his commitment to Colorado, coming off a weekend visit to Boulder:
BREAKING: Class of 2027 EDGE Ba’Roc Willis has Committed to Colorado, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 19, 2026
⁰The 6’3 225 EDGE from Moody, AL was previously committed to Alabama
“One thing you can’t deny is work, that’s all I’m going to say #Skobuffs!!🦬”⁰⁰https://t.co/dnxOgnpSFS pic.twitter.com/u8DVSwXA3a
Former Alabama commitment Ba'Roc Willis commits to Colorado
If the goal for Willis is to get on the field quickly, he'll certainly have the opportunity at Colorado. The Buffaloes fielded one of the nation's worst defenses in 2025, and after flipping the roster almost entirely in the Transfer Portal, the Buffaloes look scarcely like an FBS program now:
The Colorado football team is going viral on Twitter for looking insanely SMALL walking out of the locker room for their spring game (swipe) 😬
— Recruits CFB (@recruits_cfb) April 12, 2026
The Buffs went 3-9 last year after losing Travis and Shedeur to the Draft, but were looking to have a bounce-back year.
With this… pic.twitter.com/VR2cYB2fAn
After some quick momentum when he arrived at Colorado, Coach Prime and the Buffs are trending in the wrong direction heading into his fourth season as the program's head coach.
Following a 4-8 debut season, Sanders led Colorado to a major jump in year two. Colorado won nine games led by Coach Prime's son, Shedeur Sanders, at QB, and Heisman Trophy-winning two-way superstar Travis Hunter.
But Colorado didn't adjust well to life without those two stars. They dropped all the way to 3-9 in 2025, and now legitimate questions surround the future of the program and if Sanders can recapture the magic he found when he first got to Boulder.
If he can't, then it's fair to question whether he'll remain the Colorado head coach into 2027. That would also make it fair to question whether Willis' commitment will stick, or if he'll look to decommit again down the road and search for a third program to call home.
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