Deion Sanders was that rare breed of athlete with the right combination of confidence and competence.
Before he became ‘Prime Time,’ before he became Colorado’s head football coach, before his own son, Shedeur, became the talk of this year’s draft, Sanders was just a young athlete lighting Tallahassee, Florida on fire.
Sanders was a budding football, baseball and track superstar at Florida State when he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 1985 MLB Draft, before playing four seasons as a Seminole under legendary head coach Bobby Bowden.
‘Neon Deion’ would go on to play nine seasons in Major League Baseball while also being drafted in the first round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Sanders was always destined to be a top pick in the NFL draft and knew that from the jump.
The shutdown corner met with the New York Giants at the Scouting Combine before that year’s draft and left them stunned with his response to a written test.
“They sat me down and gave me a thick book,” Sanders recalled.
“I mean, this thing was thicker than a phone book. I said, ‘What’s this?’ They said, ‘This is our test that we give all the players.’ I said, ‘Excuse me, what pick do you have in the draft?’ They said, ‘I think, 10th [actually 18th].’
“I said, ‘I’ll be gone before then. I’ll see y’all later. I ain’t got time for this.’ That’s a true story.”
Sanders’ super-cool persona was on full display on draft day that year as he wore a huge gold chain and Starter jacket with his Primetime logo emblazoned across it.
“If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play well. If you play well, they pay well,” he famously said.
During his draft day interview, he also delivered one of the most memorable and brutal comments in the history of the NFL draft.
After being selected by the Falcons, he expressed genuine concern about nearly ending up with the Detroit Lions.
“I was kinda scared,” he said.
“I thought Detroit was gonna take me. I would have asked for so much money they’d have to put me on layaway.”
Sanders’ unwavering confidence was a sign of things to come as he went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, and Commanders.
He revolutionized the cornerback position and how it was perceived, which ultimately enabled future stars to profit.
Sanders retired in 2005 and served as a sports analyst before trying his hand as a coach.
His popularity continued at the collegiate level while serving as head coach at Jackson State.
Now, the 57-year-old is in the midst of leading the Colorado Buffalo football program, as he enters his third season at the helm in Boulder.
But for now, all eyes are on his son, as Shedeur prepares to hear his name called later this week at the 2025 NFL draft.
