Move to Big 12 could help Deion Sanders flip top recruits to Colorado

Deion Sanders has a long track record in the state of Texas, namely from his time starring for the Dallas Cowboys. His Colorado program moving to the Big 12 and playing more in that region of the country might just add fuel to the fire of belief that Sanders has roaring in Boulder.

On3’s Nick Kosko and Andy Staples broke down how it could be another tool in Sanders’ recruiting arsenal to swing through Texas. Kosko staked out his belief that the Big 12 will be a boon for Colorado.

“Don’t forget the Big 12 thing, coming next year, so they’re going back to a conference, jumping ship on the Pac-12, whatever that might be in 2024 and beyond. But now that you’re going to be in the Big 12 and I get that Texas and Oklahoma are going to the SEC and it’s amid a bunch of college football realignment, but now you can sell the Big 12. You can sell those midwestern games where you’re going to play the likes of Texas Tech and TCU every year, Baylor every year. You’ll get the Iowa States,” Kosko said.

And the big-time matchups that might be lost in the Pac-12, namely against the Los Angeles schools, don’t strike Kosko as being that big of a loss in terms of the recruiting potential.

In short, playing road games in Texas will pay out greater than whatever is lost by not regularly playing in California, at least in recruiting. Currently, the Buffaloes have 16 players from California on the roster and a dozen from Texas — not counting Sanders’ own kids.

That balance is likely to change in the coming years as Sanders not only keeps raking in transfers, but starts to go to bat for high school recruits throughout Texas.

“I know you’re not going get all the West Coast matchups, because again USC and UCLA are going to the Big Ten as well Washington and Oregon. But I think now that you’re going to go on a bigger stage and now that you’re going to get the Big 12 branding, I think it only helps the entire athletic department,” Kosko said. “And plus, you just mentioned, if you’re a guy who’s in the Class of 2024 and if you’re a Deion type of guy, no captains, but dogs, I think you better just say, ‘You know what, I’m not fully committed yet.’ Let me see if Coach Prime wants to say, ‘We’re interested in you.'”