Lane Kiffin sounds off on No. 1 overall recruit signing with Jackson State

Deion Sanders stunned the recruiting world when he flipped Florida State commit Travis Hunter to Jackson State. College coaches around the country weighed in on the decision and the rumored name, image and likeness deals that came with it.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin was one of them, and he spoke about the “free agency” effect with NIL.

“You’re in free agency that, there are no contracts,” Kiffin said, via Michael Katz of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. “I really hope for these kids, they get all the money that they’re being promised at all these schools when they get there.

“Because there’s a lot of money being promised, so I hope for them that they get it. … These guys get promised all this money to come places, but they don’t have a contract, which in free agency obviously you would [like] in the NFL, know that you were guaranteed to get paid what you’re being told you’re going to get paid.”

Kiffin’s comments came after Hunter was rumored to sign a $1.5 million deal with Barstool Sports. However, Front Office Sports reported Wednesday night that rumor was false. But the discussion is still going on about the impact of NIL on signing day.

Hunter is a Five Star Plus+ recruit, meaning he’s one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five-star. Ole Miss offered him a scholarship, according to his On3 Recruiting Profile.

Deion Sanders, Jackson State officially announce Travis Hunter signing with hype video

College football history was made today by Deion Sanders and Travis Hunter. After announcing his commitment to Jackson State, the team released an epic hype video that’s sure to get your blood flowing.

A landmark move, Hunter‘s decision to join Sanders at Jackson State could be looked back on as a game-changer. After originally committing to Florida State over Georgia, Auburn and Alabama, Sanders’ was able to flip the No. 1 recruit and five-star prospect.

Moving forward, Hunter could inspire other top prospects to bet on themselves — joining smaller programs to help build their brand. Additionally, coaches like Sanders are lightning rods, making dreams come true by giving players a chance to play for their heroes.

With his commitment, Travis Hunter became the highest-rated HBCU commit of all time. The move signifies that not only is Deion Sanders arriving to the art of college football coaching — he’s already here.