- Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shilo Sanders refuses to fish with Coach Prime: His reason will have you in stitches
Deion Sanders is in serious trouble. After several of his players' exodus at the end of the season, the Colorado Buffaloes look somewhat lackluster. However, there is still hope; a promising recruit is on the horizon, but Coach Prime will have to be at his best to secure him before he's stolen.
Last season was brilliant for Sanders' Buffaloes. After a disastrous 2023-2024 season, finishing 2024-2025 with a 9-4 record, 7-2 in the Big 12, and playing in their first college bowl game under Coach Prime seemed to mark the beginning of a new era for Colorado; however, analysts disagree.
The departure of stars like Travis Hunter, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, LaJohntay Wester, and Jimmy Horn Jr. to play in the NFL, coupled with the transfers of many of their offensive linemen, left the Buffaloes with a concerning talent deficit. However, Sanders has already taken action.
Sanders seeks to snatch his first recruit for 2026
A constant criticism of Coach Prime's roster strategy is his overreliance on the transfer portal. Sanders typically builds his teams with veterans from other colleges, largely ignoring high school talent, which is the foundation of most college teams.
However, Sanders is already taking concrete steps to address this problem. The Buffs helmsman recently met with quarterback Oscar Rios, hoping to convince him to choose Boulder as the next stop in his rising career.
A junior player from Downey, California, Rios made a splash at the Under Armour Next Camp on May 5. Coach Prime and Rios agreed to a visit to Boulder in the coming weeks. The problem? Colorado is the last school on Rios' list.
The NCAA's most sought-after prospect
With a 2,600-yard per season arm, Rios is one of the most coveted prospects by the NCAA's top programs. Oscar has offers from seven schools, has already visited Kentucky and Oklahoma State, and his next stops are UCLA, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado.
Rios was greatly impressed with his visits to Lexington and Stillwater. That's why analysts warn that Coach Prime will have to bring his A-game to impress the young gun and retain him as a future asset for when Julian Lewis and Kaidon Salter make the jump to the NFL.
If anyone can do it, it's Deion Sanders, but even for him, it won't be an easy task.