Shannon Sharpe once agreed with Deion Sanders putting Florida high school football players on a high pedestal

Deion Sanders has become known for being very effective in bringing talent into the Buffaloes program through the transfer portal. This is a skill that he has had to master, as he has essentially rebuilt parts of the Colorado roster with transfers and new recruits for the last two seasons.

By doing this, he has been able to gain an understanding of which states have the best type of players for what he wants.

Sanders went on the Million Dollarz Worth Podcast in April 2024 and gave his verdict on which states had the best high school prospects.

"I think the best football high school wise is played in Texas. But the dogs man, that Florida, Louisiana, Georgia."

In response to this, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe responded:

"True, True, True."

Source: sportscenter (Instagram)

Deion Sanders himself was always likely to put prospects from the state of Florida on a pedestal, as he was one of them when he was young.

However, unlike the dozen Floridians playing for the Buffaloes, Sanders stayed in state for college with the Florida State Seminoles.

Delving into Deion Sanders' claim about Florida high school players

Analysis from The Data Jocks done in 2024 looked into which states produced the best high school talent.

Their analysis slightly differs from what Sanders and Sharpe think. While Florida, Georgia and Louisiana all produce a lot of good talent, Mississippi reportedly has the most talented football players.

Whether you agree with Sanders' claim or this analysis, they both show that the Deep South states, all of which have big programs that play in the SEC, produce the best talent.

The appeal of Deion Sanders

While Colorado isn't situated in the Deep South, the Buffaloes do have an advantage over many of their rivals regarding talent acquisition. They have Deion Sanders.

His appeal and unique approach draw in players from talented states, who can help build the team up and potentially build a brand for themselves, just like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.

However, while he has been able to use the transfer portal well, Sanders thinks he does not overuse it compared to other programs. He told On3.com:

“I know we get criticized for going in the portal, but if you talk about other teams and how much they went in the portal, it ranks right up there with everyone else."

Portal King or not, Deion Sanders has been able to bring in players from across the country with his appeal.