Deion Sanders criticizes parents involvement in recruiting, NIL negotiations: 'They want theirs off the top'

Recruiting is as complicated as it has ever been with who, and what, is all involved now with prospects.

Colorado head caoch Deion Sanders discussed that issue during a Friday appearance on ESPN’s First Take in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

“Is that why we see the jumping around?” ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe asked. “You know, I’m here for a year, I’m there for a year? It seems, like you said, you take the bag, which might not be the best situation but they offer the most security as far as financially.”

Sanders pointed to the the role that some parents are playing, especially in regards to negotiations about name, image, and likeness (NIL) that could be negatively impacting what’s best for the recruits. That role is much different than the one his own parents played back when he had his offers back in the 80s.

“(It’s) because parents are involved,” Sanders responded. “Once upon a time, my parents was praying for us and couldn’t wait until we got to the next level and, if we chose to bless them, they received the blessing. Now, these parents will never gain (any) darn thing. They want theirs off the top, and that’s not proper.

“I feel bad for these kids and some of the agents that have attached themselves to these young men,” Sanders added. “It’s very unfortunate.”

That was part of a larger discussion about Sanders’ philosophy in recruitments during this era of college athletics. While there’s money involved, he hopes players don’t get so distracted by that in the present that they forget about what’s best for their future and the financial aspects that would then follow from there.

“Well, when kids come to play for me at Colorado, they come to play for me and the coaching staff that we’ve assembled. They hadn’t come to play for money because I let them know that will maintain you. That pro contract is gonna sustain you. So we’re chasing that thing,” Sanders continued. “And I don’t attract those type of kids that’s playing for a bag. I attract those type of kids that’s just playing because they love the game. That’s what I want. I don’t like that other thing. That other thing has disrupted a lot of things because kids nowadays are choosing a bag rather than a situation and a place that’s more conducive to their success.”

Because of that, Sanders also thinks all athletes already at or entering the collegiate level should be better educated about the money that’s coming to them.

“I wish they took a class on financial literacy,” Sanders concluded. “That should be mandatory in college sports as well as high school.”

It’s pretty profitable to play for Coach Prime and the Buffaloes given all there is to gain in his program. Still, there’s a bigger picture that Sanders wants all players to see, especially when it comes to NIL.