"Makes people shut up and listen": CFB insider labels $45M worth Deion Sanders as one of the most 'powerful' coaches
After sending his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, along with Travis Hunter, to fulfill their NFL dreams, $45 million Deion Sanders (Celebrity Net Worth) is set to continue his journey with Colorado in his third year with the program.
Coach Prime came to Boulder from Jackson State when the Buffaloes went 1-11 during the 2022 college football season. Deion, along with his sons, turned the program upside down and made it relevant in the realm of college football.
By 2024, Coach Prime solved most of the things Colorado struggled with a year before, which includes a new offensive line for QB Shedeur Sanders, and more NFL coaching experience in the facility. This led the Buffaloes to bowl eligibility while ending the season 9-4.
While some analysts still call out Deion for the "show" that comes with him, Josh Pate thinks he's among the most powerful college football coaches.
He said on "Josh Pate's College Football Show" on Thursday:
"While he's not done what Kirby or Ryan Day have done, he's not going to do that because he's not at Ohio State or Georgia, but he did turn Colorado around. Virtually overnight.
"They won nine games last year, it's a really big deal. But also, if you're talking about voices carrying weight, who makes people shut up and listen more in this sport, from a head coach's perspective, than Deion Sanders right now? And by 10 miles, who out of the head coaching voices moves the needle beyond college football more right now than Deion Sanders?"
Stephen A. Smith partly blames Deion Sanders for ruining Shedeur Sanders' draft stock
Shedeur Sanders' draft process was not for the faint-hearted. While many analysts projected him to go in the top 10, it came as a shock when the Colorado QB's name was only called at the 144th pick in the fifth round.
While some blamed Shedeur's "arrogant" and "brash" attitude during interviews, others blamed Coach Prime for giving statements like he would interfere if certain teams tried to draft Shedeur.
Stephen A. Smith partly agreed with the latter group and said:
"Prime Time Deion Sanders' hands are not clean in this. Shedeur Sanders' hands are not clean on this."
Shedeur was finally drafted by the Cleveland Browns and has now arrived in Ohio for mini-camp this week.