The writing on the wall couldn’t have been much bigger when it came to K.D. Nixon’s commitment on Tuesday night.
Or perhaps you could say it couldn’t be much Boulder.
The four-star slot receiver made official what most expected following his visit to Colorado last weekend and committed to the Buffaloes. He announced his decision in a tweet after attending DeSoto’s evening volleyball match against Irving.
Colorado’s success this season has helped capitalize on some of the relationships made with recruits in the spring. Offensive coordinator and receivers coach Darrin Chiaverini has been instrumental in building interest with prospects and his connection to Nixon paired with his future as his position coach made for an easy decision.
“The relationship with Coach Chiaverini and Colorado is a program on the rise,” Nixon cited as the main factors in his decision. “They’re recruiting well in Dallas and they’re looking for that national championship. I just know that going there, I’m coming to the right place and it’s a family just like I have at DeSoto.”
Nixon is the second commitment to Colorado from DeSoto in as many days. On Monday, offensive lineman and former Texas pledge, Xavier Newman, announced he was flipping after being on the visit with Nixon - a trip punctuated with a breezy 40-16 win over Arizona State.
Fellow DeSoto wide receiver Laviska Shenault was also in attendance and has been committed to CU since April. The obvious advantage of having two of his current teammates committed to Colorado helped secure Nixon’s commitment.
“It’s a great thing that they’re going there with me,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about getting homesick because I’ll have two brothers that worked hard to get to the same place. We have the same dreams and goals and we’ll be pushing each other to be better.”
Familiarity aside, there was plenty to be said for the experience the trio had on the visit in and of itself.
Colorado offered Nixon in January and he had been on campus for an unofficial visit in the offseason. Being in attendance for last weekend’s game cast a whole new light on a program that has become of the darlings of this college football season.
“My visit went great, but I was really excited just to see the atmosphere,” he said. “I visited out there once and met the coaches, but seeing them work - they get on you when you’re right, they get on you when you’re wrong, but just seeing them work and seeing the offense up-close was what I was out looking to see.”
Nixon had originally committed to Tennessee in April but backed off of that decision just two months later. After getting a better feel for the direction of the rest of his recruitment, he decided that Colorado was a better fit - and he already has expectations for how that will manifest itself.
“They told me that when I get out there I’ll be basically the same position I am now,” he said. “I know at the end of the day Coach Chiaverini is going to get the ball in my hands.”
Nixon should have little trouble becoming a factor in the Buffaloes offense, or as dynamic return man on special teams. Long-term, he’s expecting to play a significant role on a team that’s continuing to improve this season and built for more of the same in the near-future.
“I just want to see them get better every week,” he said. “They’re building that team up right towards winning a championship.”