Deion Sanders is doing everything he can to recover from a tough 2025 season. While Coach Prime is focusing on offseason recruiting, he maintains a strict, straightforward approach.
Inside Deion Sanders’ Brutally Honest Recruiting Pitch to Prospects and Families
Today’s college football is largely dictated by recruiting success, as coaches increasingly go above and beyond to secure top-rated high school prospects and transfer portal talent. While Sanders leans heavily on the transfer portal for talent acquisition, he has a distinct approach for overall recruitment at Boulder.
“When I sit in that same seat, that middle seat looking at those recruits on the other side of that and the families thereof, I tell them the truth, man,” Sanders said (11:25) on “The Pregame Network” on Monday.
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“Ain’t no lie in me. Like I can’t fathom lying to attain you or acquire your services. I’m not doing that because it’s almost like I’m changing the game once I get you, and now I get to turn into who I really was supposed to be.
“You know what I get from the 99% of parents? They said, ‘Coach, just like you are on social (media) or whenever we see you.’ I say, ‘I’m sorry. I like me.’ So, I don’t feel like there’s a change that’s needed right now. I don’t trick-or- treat. I don’t pretend. I don’t do those type of things. I’m way past trying to be something I’m not.”
Sanders avoids overpromising recruits but leverages his personal brand and social media presence to provide massive exposure and help recruits build their own brands. Unlike most coaches, he rarely makes home or school visits off campus. He also discourages players from “chasing the bag” prematurely, saying that good play will naturally lead to generational wealth.
On the Colorado recruiting front, the Buffaloes signed just one in-state prospect in the 2026 cycle. Sanders is aiming to reverse that trend by heavily pursuing in-state four-star interior offensive lineman Jackson Roper.
According to Rivals’ Industry Rankings, Roper is Colorado’s No. 1 recruit, and keeping him in Boulder would alleviate some of the Buffaloes’ in-state recruiting challenges.
Roper still has time to weigh multiple programs as a 2027 prospect, but Sanders must maintain momentum to secure him, as he would be a major boost for a Colorado offense that ranked No. 80 nationally in the PFSN College Football Offense Impact Metric in 2025. Colorado has just one commitment in the 2027 class: three-star cornerback Davon Dericho.
