"Ain't done nothing yet" - Deion Sanders calls out NIL athletes, advises them to remain humble
Deion Sanders telling anyone to remain humble would usually be laughable. This is the same guy who, in a meeting with the New York Giants, responded to their request for a written test with this gem: "Excuse me, what pick do you have in the draft?’ They had the 10th pick. He then said, "I’ll be gone before then; I ain’t got time for this.’ He then left the room. How's that for humility?
But he was right! Now he has some advice for college athletes. Deion is now the head football coach at Jackson State University. He has brought the program into the spotlight, even flipping the nation's top recruit from Florida State to play for him. He has been navigating the recruiting landscape since the landmark NIL ruling. He has seen how these athletes benefit but thinks the free-agency style of recruiting may distract kids from the ultimate goal of playing in the NFL.
"We can't be getting into bidding wars over kids that really ain't done nothing yet." - Deion Sanders
"It's becoming free agency, and it you don't have it, you won't be able to compete... I want you to focus on the NFL, not the NIL."
🗣️ @DeionSanders speaks up on NIL and the state of college football with @CoachReedLive https://t.co/XlLVB6RR1T
Coach Sanders has a point on this one. It's hard to stay hungry when you're fed. Some players, who have yet to play a single down of college football, receive NIL offers that range into the multi-millions. It's easy to see how that could distract a 17 to 22-year-old.
Coach Deion Sanders' Jackson State Team looks to build on recent success
Deion Sanders is changing how college programs, specifically HBCUs, play to potential recruits. He's allowed them to fight in practice. He's customized their intro music and gets the team into freestyle rap battles following practices and games.
Last season, the team went 11-1, including going undefeated in conference play, but ended the year with a bowl loss. Sanders and Jackson State recently had their spring game aired on ESPN. The nation's top recruit, Travis Hunter, showed off, scoring two touchdowns on offense and intercepting a pass on defense.
He narrowly overshadowed Kevin Coleman, who is listed as the number 6 receiver in the country, and also returned a kick for a touchdown in the game.
Jackson State Football 2022 Spring Game Highlights youtu.be/BQN47cw1Mco via @YouTube
If Sanders continues to build relationships and to establish the "it" factor with his program, he won't have to fight many battles over coveted recruits. Those who can remain humble are likely to jump to a coveted spot at the top of his list.