With his latest 5-star stunner, Deion Sanders looks serious about fixing Colorado's offensive line issues

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders continued his annual tradition of landing a 5-star stunner Thursday, surprisingly the college football world by beating out Alabama, Ohio State and Tennessee for offensive tackle Jordan Seaton. 

The 6-5, 295-pound IMG (Fla.) Academy product is the No. 12 prospect in the 2024 class, per On3, and the top-ranked offensive tackle. 

Talk about landing a big fish at a position of need. 

Colorado’s offensive line woes have been well-documented. The Buffs ranked last nationally in rushing, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders was hounded for 56 sacks — the most by of any quarterback in 2023. Deion Sanders lamented the team’s OL’s struggles during the season, adamantly declaring, “The line has to improve. … “The big picture you go get new linemen. That’s the picture and I’m going to paint it perfectly.”

Well, Seaton is just one body, but he’s a potential game-changer for a program hoping to make noise in the Big 12 next season. 

Flipping Travis Hunter, then the No. 1 overall prospect in 2022, from Florida State to HBCU Jackson State was an all-time recruiting moment. Flipping 5-star corner Cormani McClain from Miami last year was a statement that Sanders was more than a one-trick pony. 

But landing Seaton is the type of prospect that could provide Sanders true staying power in college football. It was just two weeks ago that I wondered aloud if Sanders was long for Colorado? Despite the continued public bravado, his actions painted a picture of a coach disinterested in recruiting and too focused on the transfer portal. 

The Buffs are still prioritizing the portal over traditional recruiting. Mr. ‘Ain’t 2 Hard 2 Find’ went on a media barnstorming tour this week, from appearances on Good Morning America to the Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz, telling LeBetard, “I am in the portal like like I’m not hard to find, I’m not hard to find and guess what I’m finding, lineman! You guys watched us play what did you say, if they had some of those guys, they would be right there guess what today is—portal day and I’m going get those things you said I need.”

But Sanders does have an eye on high school recruiting, too, evidently.  Even if his methods are untraditional. Colorado just beat out Ohio State, Alabama and Tennessee for an elite high school offensive lineman. I repeat, Colorado just landed an elite offensive tackle.

There aren’t offensive tackles with Seaton’s upside and ability in the transfer portal. On3’s Charles Powers believes Seaton is a Day 1 plug-and-play starter. Seaton is sure to take some lumps as a freshman, but he has the talent to be the foundational piece of that unit moving forward. 

At its core, college football is pretty simple. It’s about blocking and tackling. Typically, the team with the most big people wins. Colorado didn’t have the requisite bodies last season. 

The Buffs still don’t have nearly enough for Sanders to make blustery teasers like, “Leaving out a Florida State and a Georgia, that’s why I’m glad it’s increased next year, and guess who is going to be in?”

But Jordan Seaton is one big body. If his commitment is a sign of things to come for Colorado in the trenches this offseason, then Deion Sanders truly is full of surprises.