Colorado commit Amontrae Bradford has potential to 'play on Sundays for a long time'

Something clicked for Amontrae Bradford back in the spring.

The three-star edge rusher from Statesboro (Georgia) High School didn't receive his first FBS offer (Georgia State) until April 5. By the end of May, he had a handful of Power 5 offers from the likes of Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech and others.

Things had changed, so Bradford had to as well.

"That's when I really started to get recruited heavily," Bradford said of his mindset change in the spring. "I had to step it up a little bit with all these schools coming to see me every single day at practice.

"I had to."

Bradford stepped his game up not only on the practice field, but in the weight room.

Statesboro head coach Matthew Dobson arrived at the school in February, and from then until the Blue Devils' 2023 season opener in August, no one had improved more than Bradford.

"He really grew up this spring for us," Dobson said of Bradford. "In the weight room, he was our biggest gainer from the time I got the job there until our season started.

"Because he was a little bit of a late bloomer, his best football is ahead of him."

The extra work put in during the spring paid off in the fall for Bradford.

The 6-foot-5, 237-pound senior went out with a bang, totaling 75 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles. He's a dominant pass rusher, but Bradford prides himself on being more than that.

"I can play in the box, I can play off the line, I can play in space a little bit; I feel like I can really do it all," Bradford said. "I mean, I love to pass rush because who doesn't like getting sacks? But I can play in space, too."

If there's one thing Bradford's college head coach covets, it's versatility. Bradford committed to Colorado and coach Deion Sanders on Oct. 9, picking the Buffaloes over Indiana, Georgia Tech, Nebraska, Texas A&M and others.

"Coach Prime" is known for being a versatile playmaker during his heyday, playing multiple positions and sports. Nowadays, he coaches the most versatile player in college football: Travis Hunter.

Although Bradford won't be playing on both sides of the ball in Boulder like Hunter does, his unique blend of talent and versatility could make him an impact player right away.

"He's got elite size and elite speed," Dobson said of Bradford. "The length that he has is really impressive. He's 6-foot-5 with really long arms and the speed that he runs with is incredible. He can run really well.

"I think he's got the ability to play at a high level for a long time. I think he'll play on Sundays for a long time because you can't coach the size and the speed."

Bradford's ability to rush the quarterback will be a welcomed addition to a Colorado defense that averaged just 2.3 sacks per game in 2023. Jordan Domineck, who tied for the team lead in sacks (5) last season, has entered the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving the Buffaloes with just one defensive lineman/edge player (senior DL Shane Cokes) who started at least six games in 2023.

When Bradford arrives in Boulder to begin his college career, it'll be somewhat of a full-circle moment.

He'll be joined by his cousin, fellow Colorado commit and four-star recruit Kamron Mikell, like he always has been.

"We grew up our whole lives together," Bradford said of Mikell. "We went to the same elementary school, same middle school (and high school). We've always been close, we'd spend the night at each other's house and all that.

"We've always been together, really."

Bradford said he and Mikell also used to play on the same recreation teams as kids, and one of them had a familiar name.

"It was a rec team (in Georgia) we played for called the Colorado Buffaloes," Bradford recalled. "I think, I want to say we were both playing cornerback on opposite sides."

Bradford and Mikell have always been there for each other, both on and off the field, and that won't have to change as the duo enters the next chapter of their lives. With family already being a foundational piece of the Colorado football program (starting with coach Sanders and his sons: quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo), the cousins from Statesboro should feel right at home.

"Our relationship (with Bradford) is like no other," Mikell said. "We've been playing together since we were 7, 8 years old and it is a God-blessed opportunity to play with him again."

Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Procter on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado football commit Amontrae Bradford will join family in Boulder