Imitation is the name of the game! The Buffs, in a display of their loyalty to Coach Prime, embarked on a creative endeavor. The players, with their ingenuity, hatched a plan and unearthed a photo of Sanders from his 1989 NFL Draft Day. The result? A hilarious imitation, with three-star linebacker Mantrez Walker donning the iconic Deion Sanders shades and white jacket, proving their mastery of the art of recreation.

Walker steps up to emulate Deion Sanders

The Colorado Buffaloes are anxiously waiting now that their primed guest, five-star QB Julian Lewis, is here. To make their JuJu dream come true, Deion Sanders and Co. had counted on Walker with a big role. The linebacker was disposed of the duty to lure Lewis into Buffaloes. But the Buffs newbie seems to be too busy with something else. While the commitment confirmation is yet to come from the Trojans QB, Walker is on a mission to ease the pressure off Sanders’s shoulders. Official visits and photoshoots go hand-in-hand. But this time, the Buffs chose to do it differently. Walker turned out to be a big player in imitating Coach Prime. 

NoSkoZone’s post on X shows the two pictures of Deion Sanders and the linebacker placed side-by-side. Walker is spotted carrying out similar poses, and Coach Prime is seen raising his hands and celebrating his glory. In another picture, the Buffs player is spotted mastering the signature Coach Prime pose with a corded handset. But what is so special about the 1989 NFL Draft that prompted Walker to recreate it?    

Walker takes up inspiration from Sanders’ monumental NFL Draft

The 1989 NFL Draft marked a significant milestone in Sanders’ career. His illustrious collegiate tenure with the Florida State Seminoles paved the way for him to be selected as the fifth overall pick that year. The original photos that inspired Walker’s imitation were taken at the home of his agent, Steve Zucker, during the draft. The look Sanders sported, adorned in gold and engaged in a phone conversation, truly embodied his nickname, “Prime Time.”

Meanwhile, questions loom about whether Walker got so carried away with becoming a Coach Prime loyalist that he forgot about the duty he has been assigned. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound LB first visited Colorado last September for the USC game, and since then soared to becoming the top priority for the Buffs. Besides being known for his big hits, he catalyzes for Colorado to land Lewis. On May 18, Walker came up with a tweet, “If You A Dawg, Come To Colorado.”  

The linebacker and Lewis have known each other since they were young and played for the same little league game. Now that his long-time pal is a part of Boulder, will this lead JuJu to change his mind and commit to Boulder? It’s still unknown, as Walker is busy proving his loyalty to Deion Sanders.