Colorado HC Deion Sanders sends a clear message to Buffs squad ahead of transfer portal frenzy: "If anybody wanna jump, jump!"

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders has an unorthodox style of recruitment mostly relying on the transfer portal and he made good use of it in December with his recruiting class ranked the No. 1 in college basketball.

The Buffs recently lost lineman Savion Washington and former five-star prospect, cornerback Cormani McClain to the newly-opened spring transfer portal, which has been a blow to the momentum they had built up a few weeks ago.

In a clip that aired recently after the news of their departures broke, Deion Sanders sounded defiant while addressing his players as they potentially entered the transfer portal during a practice session.

“You know what the day is? PORTAL DAY. It’s PORTAL DAY. If anybody want to jump, jump. If anybody want to ride, ride. What y’all want to do? What y’all want to do? Let’s ride. Break it down on this group," Deion Sanders said.

Deion Sanders not worried about NIL

The college sports landscape was changed forever with the passing of the NIL ruling in 2021, which allowed student-athletes to earn money from their names, images and likenesses. It has had the knock-on effect of influencing the transfer portal with some players moving to programs where they get the best compensation.

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban highlighted the NIL regulations and the behaviors of student-athletes as one of the reasons why he retired.

When asked about the influence of NIL in an interview with "Front Office Sports," Deion Sanders was dismissive of the implications, instead believing that the players who play for him are motivated to be great.

"I attract the type of player that wants to be great," Sanders said. "That understood, he has a window of opportunity and he has to have a commitment to excellence. There are players who are playing for a bag, which growing up in the environment, you can't blame them, you can't fault them. If you're going to give up a bag, you're going to have players playing for a bag, so I do understand it.

"I may not condone that's your focus because I've always thought if you just focus on being great, the bag is going to find you.

Deion Sanders will lose up to seven players to the transfer portal just a few days after it was opened.

They include wide receiver Tar'varish Dawson, defensive backs Myles Slusher and Jaden Milliner-Jones and defensive linemen Chazz Wallace and Devee Harris.