From Jackson Statе to thе Colorado Buffaloеs, it’s bееn nеarly four yеars since Dеion Sandеrs еntеrеd thе collеgе football scеnе as a hеad coach. Channеling his passion for football as a formеr playеr himsеlf, into thе rolе of shaping thе nеxt gеnеration professionals alongsidе his two sons—Shеdеur and Shilo, Sandеrs’ risе as “Coach Primе” has gеnеratеd significant hypе in a short timе.

Howеvеr, is Coach Prime truly ready to go pro already? According to Supеr Bowl winnеr and former Jets defensive end Chris Canty, the Buffaloes’ head coach is! Yеt, it sееms hе’s not quitе rеady to surpass thе South Carolina womеn’s baskеtball hеad coach in this racе.

According to a June 11th tweet by UNSportsESPN, Canty has revealed his list of top five coaches he believes could transition to the national level. The post read, “POWER RANKINGS: Chris Canty’s Top 5 college coaches he’d want to see in the pros,” and the list goes like this: “5.) Kirby Smart 4.) Lincoln Riley 3.) Deion Sanders 2.) Dan Hurley 1.) Dawn Staley.” Notably, three out of the five coaches are from college football. However, what stands out most is that Deion Sanders ranks below Dan Hurley, and surprisingly, South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley.

Staley undoubtedly deserves the top spot. South Carolina’s three titles in seven years highlight her extraordinary tenure as coach. She has made a WNBA star like the Aces’ A’ja Wilson and South Carolina’s latest National Championship title, achieved by defeating Iowa and Caitlin Clark with a score of 87-75, cements the former six-time WNBA All-Star’s status among legendary women’s college basketball coaches. As for Deion Sanders, while he has yet to lead the Buffaloes to a bowl game, his impact in his first season is undeniable.

Colorado’s development under Coach Prime speaks volumes

Deion Sanders transformed the team from a 1-11 record to a 4-8 team last season. Not only that, the clout he brought to Colorado, helped CU generate $280 million in revenue through overall viewership for CU. Coach Sanders’ name and fame have attracted significant media attention, including Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff, which will elevate Colorado University’s profile in college football and boost viewership for CU this upcoming season. Beyond generating off-field revenue, Coach Prime has strengthened the CU roster tirelessly through both winter and spring and utilizing his “no-visit” recruiting approach.

By majorly targeting transfer portal players over high school recruits, Sanders has brought 49 players to CU so far. Despite the spring portal seeing several players leave the program, Deion Sanders has worked diligently to fill those roster gaps. Additionally, his no-visit policy has saved the football program up to $200k annually on travel expenses, showcasing Coach Prime’s ingenuity. As the Buffaloes gear up for the 2024 season, Coach Prime has also introduced Marine Corps and Navy SEAL training in Boulder to condition his team.

Therefore, there’s no doubt Coach Prime surpassed Kirby Smart and Lincoln Riley to secure the third spot on Canty’s list, which is impressive, considering his significant influence on college football in such a short time.