Monday, August 10, 2026
Position
Defensive Back
Height
6'1"
Weight
195
Hometown
Salinas, CA
High School
Palma
Previous School
Monterey Peninsula
Drew Molinari joined Colorado in 2026 after playing at Monterey Peninsula College, following a prep career at Palma High School in his hometown of Salinas, California.
His opportunity in Boulder arrived in memorable fashion. Molinari was working out when his phone died; after charging it in his car, he discovered Colorado’s recruiting staff had been trying to reach him. Soon after, he found himself on the phone with Deion Sanders, a conversation he described as surreal for “a kid from a small town.”
Molinari takes considerable pride in that hometown. Salinas is known as the “Salad Bowl of the World,” but he would also like it known for its athletes. He describes Salinas players as hardworking, talented, overlooked and raised on hard-nosed football.
His move to Colorado also reunited him with Monterey Peninsula teammate and friend Malachi Brown, while giving Molinari an opportunity to represent an area he believes deserves more attention.
Source: Colorado Buffaloes On SI / Sports Illustrated