“NIL is a Name, Image, and Likeness… it’s not the day of NIL… It’s collectives. And that’s where it went wrong instead of staying right.” These are the words Deion once addressed his team with to warn them about the newly introduced policies of NIL. As far as we’ve seen, Deion and his team have only benefitted from NIL and fortunately, never had to be in a situation like Billy Napier and being sued by someone like Jaden Rashada.

Jaden Rashada, the former QB for the Gators, recently sued Billy Napiers for $13 million, over an alleged cause of fraud over his NIL deal, where he wasn’t paid the promised amount and supposedly asked to leave the team in 2022. Though Deion hasn’t seen a lot of success on the gridiron, his team has certainly thrived under his leadership of just one season when it comes to NIL deals. Moreover, Uncle Neely came out to voice his support for Coach Prime and how he’s helped players despite their departure from the Buffs’.

Uncle Neely lends Deion a hand against the waves of the NIL

On the 24th May episode of ‘Thee Pregame Show’, the host, Tolly Carr, invited none other than Uncle Neely to talk about how the transfer portal has changed the face of college football. Later, the right-hand man of Deion, emphasized how the Buffaloes are dealing with the transfer portal and how it is drastically improving the careers of all the youngsters.

Uncle Neely took a nostalgic trip and recalled the 2023 season of the Buffaloes. He talked about how the team went from 1-11 in 2022 to 4-8 in 2023, solely because of Coach Prime’s skills. Neely also added, “And now this year, there was less of it because he has so much of what he needs in place. You had about 30 to 40 leaving through the portal and everybody was making a big deal about it.” Also, he pointed out how all the players who choose to leave Colorado end up getting a huge spotlight over their names, which in turn, boosts their reputation in the world of scouting, hence giving them a better opportunity in the NCAA.

Even though Deion is far away from Rashada’s lawsuit and Billy Napier, he might not be as far away from the Florida Gators itself. What’s also interesting to note is that since Napier is struggling to lead the Gators with The Athelic’s Mandel adding, “It does feel like the heat is on Napier after the Gators started 5-2 then lost five straight games to end last season”, the rumors about Deion being the Gators’ next HC are flying high and mighty.

The move might happen in 2025, according to Wright Way’s Steve Rivera, “In Gainesville, at the University of Florida, Sanders would be the superstar name with D-1 credentials to resurrect a fading dynasty in the Gators. The clock is ticking on Billy Napier and time is not on his side.” But would this be a good move on Deion’s part?

Could Deion be the Gators’ next HC?

As per recent reports, Deion is being speculated as a potential candidate to replace Billy Napier if the Gators release him in the 2025 season. Moreover, Napier is having a tumultuous time with the team since an average playing record and Rashada’s lawsuit looms over him like a dark cloud.

As such, all eyes are being set on Coach Prime to lead the Gators but it probably won’t happen anytime soon. Deion has made it clear on several occasions how much he loves Colorado and would rather stay there than ever pursue being a coach in the NFL. Also, since the Gators recently signed Cormani McClain, it is yet another factor in ensuring that Deion wouldn’t exactly be enthusiastic about leading the men in blue and green.