Deion Sanders Adapts to College Football Reality as $943K Push Prepares CU Buffs for Life After Shedeur

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Deion Sanders? A charming yet powerful man who walks and talks on his own terms. Yes, the ‘My life, my rules’ kinda person. However, looks like, with time he is now surrendering himself to certain college football norms that have been outside his ‘to-do’ list for so long. The numbers say that Deion’s roster is now a mixed bag of recruits. 

Now come on, Coach Prime no longer can afford to be this stubborn. After all, the time has come for his son, Shedeur Sanders to leave his nest and fly off to the NFL. So, this calls for some adaptability as the Colorado Buffaloes make a $943,000 push. 

Deion Sanders showing signs of adaptability

“I don’t go to nobody’s school or nobody’s house,” that’s what Deion said when asked about high school recruiting. At a time, when college football HCs are going to any extent to woo the high school talents, Coach Prime has not visited a high school or home in back-to-back recruiting cycles. However, seems like the coach is now open to change. On March 14, analyst RJ Young on The Number One College Football Show came up with a detailed analysis of how Colorado’s recruiting class has changed over the years.

In 2025, it consists of 45% of high school products. Now that’s a big thing for Deion who refuses to knock at the doors of high school recruits. Back at Jackson State (2020-2022), the HC went with the 40-40-20 rule. 40% grad transfer, 40% transfer, and 20% high school. This made 14 high school prospects, 17 transfers, and 31 new faces. Jumping to 2023, Deion landed 73 new players, 21% were high school athletes. Young guessed what might have propelled the Buffs HC willing to mold himself. “So already you’re going to go get more high school players because I think you won more football games and you can go recruit a higher caliber of high school player.” 

Over the years, Colorado’s recruiting management’s psyche has changed. As Young stated, “We [the Colorado football team] don’t want to spend a lot on NIL, we also would like to get a higher caliber of player with a longer highend.” Now Deion keeping himself restricted to Boulder might come off as a “power play.” More so, because he left the $200,000 private plane allowance untouched. However, he let his staff do all the traveling and woo the high school recruits. Young stated, “Doesn’t mean the rest of his staff does not go out hunting those guys, make all sorts of visits.” In that process, they did not tighten their pockets. Rather spent $943,000 plus in recruiting.

Now as Deion is gradually adapting to the high school recruiting process, how is he going to adapt himself to the post-Shedeur era?  

Deion Sanders faces dilemma as the QB battle heats up in Boulder 

Well, it’s not going to be as simple as they might have hoped for it. Initially, it felt like the Buff’s HC had all plans sorted. After all, the conviction with which Deion and Co. pursued the Carrollton High School star, Julian Lewis flipping him from the USC Trojans. But turns out that they might not count on their favorite JuJu to fill in Shedeur’s shoes. Now when did Lewis get hit with the reality check?

Coach Prime’s move clearly stated his lack of trust in Lewis when he acquired the former Liberty Flames quarterback, Kaidon Salter, from the portal. Initially, it came off as Lewis would be everything served on his plate when he posed with Shedeur for a photoshoot. In that picture, Lewis was spotted sitting on the Buffs throne donning the Colorado jersey as Deion’s son dressed in a hoodie and denim was giving him the keys. The perfect representation of passing the baton. But chances are high that the baton is passing on to Salter.

Buffs insider, Kevin Borba praised the Flames quarterback on the Locked on Buffs podcast. “I think Kaidon Salter, he’s obviously proven more because he’s played at the college level. He’s a veteran quarterback with let me pull up his stats here. He’s literally one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football… So he’s dynamic, right? He is one of the most electric quarterbacks in the country.” Shedeur’s exit and a tough 2025 schedule make it crucial for Deion Sanders to find a new leader and strategy without delay.

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