"So darn proud": Deion Sanders drops heartwarming message for Colorado stars featuring in Hula Bowl 2025

With the attention Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have commanded for the Colorado football program under coach Deion Sanders, the rest of the Buffaloes can be overlooked.

Sanders, otherwise known as Coach Prime, took to Instagram on Saturday afternoon to praise his players ahead of their participation in the Hula Bowl, a college all-star game in Orlando. In a heartfelt post, he tagged six players: BJ Green II, Chidozie Nwankwo, Shane Cokes, Mark Vassett, LaVonta Bentley and Justin Mayers.

"This is so Beautiful," Coach Prime wrote. "I love each and every one of these young men. I'm so Darn proud of y'all man!"

Those Colorado Buffaloes players will hope to hear their names called in April's NFL Draft, an event where Shedeur and Hunter will likely go early. This season, Green, a defensive end, totaled 33 tackles, a career-high 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, per statistics gathered by ESPN. Nwankwo, a defensive tackle, had 32 stops and 2.5 sacks. Cokes joined those two on the defensive front and chipped in with 19 total tackles.

Bentley was the team's fifth-leading tackler at linebacker, with 55 total. He also forced a pair of loose balls. Mayers played on the offensive line for the Buffaloes.

Vassett, a native Australian, had 53 punts for an average of 43.7 yards.

How did Deion Sanders and Colorado do this season?

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders talks to Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) and Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders (21). (Credits: Getty)

In Deion Sanders's second year in charge in Boulder, the Buffaloes improved from a 4-8 mark in 2023 to a 9-4 showing this season. Colorado was in the race for the Big 12 championship late in the campaign but tripped up against Kansas in late November. Before that, the Buffs enjoyed a four-game winning surge, including triumphs over Arizona, Cincinnati, Texas Tech and Utah.

Colorado finished their schedule in the Alama Bowl, losing to No. 17 BYU 14-36. The Buffs's Class of 2024 striving for the pros might be the last that Deion Sanders produces, considering there are rumors that Coach Prime could climb the professional ranks to coach the Las Vegas Raiders. If that's the case, it'll be interesting to see how many Buffaloes players he would add to his roster.

Shedeur and Deion Sanders's other son, Shilo, would have to be given signings for Coach Prime to take an NFL job, though, he said Wednesday on "Good Morning America." It will be an interesting situation to keep tabs on over the coming months.