Paul Finebaum: Deion Sanders would take the SEC 'by storm' and 'blow the place up'

Deion Sanders‘ future remains one of the biggest talking points in all of sports.

And while the second-year Colorado Buffaloes head coach has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain in Boulder, that hasn’t stopped the ESPN talking heads from prognosticating about what “Coach Prime” should do next. That includes many suggesting “Primetime” Deion Sanders return to Dallas as the Cowboys‘ head coach — despite the reality that Mike McCarthy is currently still in that position.

Sanders, for his part, has remained focused on where his feet are firmly planted, and guiding a reinvigorated Colorado (8-2, 6-1 B12) program to new heights, including currently vying for a shot at the Big 12 Conference championship game as well as a potential College Football Playoff bid.

Sanders also just secured the Buffaloes’ quarterback of the future with Thursday’s highly-coveted commitment of four-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the No. 36 overall prospect and No. 7 QB in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. 

But should things change and Sanders ultimately opts to leave Colorado, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith — who has a personal relationship with Sanders — proposed another option: the SEC.

“When I think about Deion staying in college, I think the ideal place for him would be the SEC,” Smith said Thursday morning on ESPN’s First Take. “This joke I say to Deion all the time, I tell him: ‘The brother is so Primetime, you don’t even think about him in the daytime.

“He needs to be under those bright lights that shine on you at night time because it’s a nationally-televised game on ABC Saturday night football. That’s what you need when you’re Primetime. And if it ain’t that, then it’s the NFL.”

Finebaum: ‘Deion Sanders would blow the [SEC] up’

For once, SEC Network host Paul Finebaum agrees with Stephen A. Smith.

“I think it could happen. There may not be any major openings this year, but next year there could be some significant openings,” Finebaum said Friday morning on ESPN’s Get Up. “And I’d think Deion would be very smart [to come to the SEC], if he doesn’t go to the Cowboys. But he would take that league by storm. Nick Saban is now gone. Kirby Smart is the best coach. But Deion Sanders would blow the place up. It would be unbelievable.”

As Finebaum said, there aren’t expected to be many coveted SEC openings this offseason, especially with both Florida‘s Billy Napier and Arkansas‘ Sam Pittman getting votes of confidence from their respective administrations after rampant hot seat speculation all season. But a lot can change in a year, and both of those programs could have appeal for Sanders should a change be made in 2025. There is also burgeoning hot seat speculation centered around Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, and Oklahoma, where fans are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the current direction of those programs.

Of course, Deion Sanders remains committed to Colorado, even after his sons Shedeur and Shilo, as well as Buffs superstar Travis Hunter, leave for the NFL after the current campaign.

“I am happy where I am, man. I’m good. I got a kickstand down,” Sanders said earlier this week. “You know what a kickstand is? A lot of people in here at an age they don’t know what a kickstand is. That means I’m resting, I’m good, I’m happy. I’m excited, I’m enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, truly do. Next question.”