Cam Newton claims Deion Sanders is a 'bigger gem' to college football than Nick Saban

There is no denying that Deion Sanders has had a great impact on college football as a coach and player. Former NFL MVP Cam Newton believes he has been the “greatest gem” in the history of the sport, even more so than legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban.

Newton, who won the Heisman Trophy during his time at Auburn, feels that when you add everything up, you can’t overstate the impact Deion Sanders has had on college football.

“Deion Sanders has been the greatest gem in college football, probably bigger than Nick Saban. I said it,” Cam Newton said Friday on First Take. “The culture, what he means to so many different people. The swagger, the bravado. Everything that he just embodies, it’s just Prime.”

Sanders was an All-American as a player at Florida State and also won the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the top defensive back in college football. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Sanders became a college football head coach in 2020 at Jackson State and had three successful seasons there, before going to Colorado. The Buffaloes were 1-11 before he got there but have gone 13-12 in his two seasons. Newton believes Sanders’ impact goes beyond winning games.

With that said, it’s hard to argue with what Saban has meant to college football.

Saban won seven national titles and 11 SEC Championships across his time at LSU and Alabama. He won several Coach of the Year awards and helped numerous players reach the NFL. Saban retired after the 2023 season, which ended with Alabama reaching the College Football Playoff and left coaching as arguably the greatest college football coach of all time. Saban is now on ESPN College GameDay, where he has helped take that show to another level.

Newton went on to say that he is interested to see how Sanders’ son, Shedeur Sanders, performs in the NFL without his dad coaching him.

“As a realist, somebody’s got to put their foot down and just speak facts. I believe in nepotism. I believe that hey, everything that you’re doing, you’ve gotta put your people on. He’s done that,” Cam Newton said.

“Coach Prime has coached his son Shedeur in rec ball… he coached him in high school. He coached him in college. … My biggest question for Shedeur Sanders is can he be coached by other people outside of his father.”