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Deion Sanders has had an interesting recruiting approach since landing with Colorado in 2023. It’s one that’s led to both praise and criticisms, but to this point, has produced results.
In back-to-back seasons, Coach Prime has successfully boosted the program’s win total. He’s hoping to do the same in 2025 with the same process.
Sanders has relied heavily on the transfer portal in Boulder, prioritizing experience over youth. That paid off with players like Travis Hunter and his son, Shedeur. He’s chosen to fill voids on the roster with short-term rentals while being selective with his high school recruiting.
Much of Colorado’s initial transfer class is now gone. Still, Sanders refuses to change his style when looking to replace that talent. That includes not only his portal usage, but also his insistence on not taking in-home trips.
“Head coach Deion Sanders did not make any in-home or off-campus recruiting visits,” the university said after wrapping up the most recent cycle. That decision comes despite having a reported $200,000 annual budget for private air travel and recruiting expenses.
Why? He doesn’t believe it’s worth it.
It’s a move that’s proven to be both effective and cheap. Incoming transfers have “been there, done that.” They often already have an idea of schools that could be a fit. High schoolers, meanwhile, enjoy the process a bit more. Rolling out the Red Carpet can sometimes sway an 18-year-old’s decision.
The approach might not work for everyone, but most coaches don’t have the same pull that Prime boasts. He’s arguably the most famous person in college football. That allows him to lure players onto his campus as opposed to having to visit theirs.
“That’s how I recruit. I don’t go to nobody’s school or nobody’s house. I’m not doing that. I’m too old to be going to somebody’s school, somebody’s house. All the kids I recruit, as a matter of fact, they’re in the transfer portal. They’re grown men with kids. They don’t need me to come around their crib and try to convince them to come play for me.”
-Deion Sanders
Sanders’ latest recruiting class ranked 27th overall. It included the 26th-best transfer class. He had Top 10 portal classes in each of his first two offseasons.
Former coach Gary Barnett commented on the outlook. He sees pros to doing it Deion’s way.
“My first reaction would be, ‘Is this sustainable? Is this really the right thing to do?’ But if you look at it from the other side, it’s ‘All of that travel is a waste of money and time.‘”
-Gary Barnett
The approach hasn’t changed, and the Buffs hope the results don’t either. The team went 9-4 this past season after winning four games the year prior. Improvement in 2025 will be a tall task with a pair of first-round talents off to the NFL. Colorado returns to the field next fall when they face Georgia Tech in the opener.