Deion Sanders Shares Bold Nick Saban/NIL Take

Deion Sanders doesn't think Colorado and Alabama attract the same players, but not for the reason you might think.

Sanders is attempting to build up Colorado after a disappointing 4-8 season that started with so much hype before falling flat. The Buffaloes started 3-0 under his leadership. The team finished 1-8  in its final nine games. Not great at all, and he's doing what he can to beef up the roster.

Enter NIL and Nick Saban.

The former Alabama coach has been a strong voice against the current insanity of college football. While he's not against players making money, Saban has regularly warned that the sport is losing itself, and told a congressional hearing the college football he knew for decades is gone.

Deion Sanders weighs in on Nick Saban's NIL stance.

Well, Sanders apparently doesn't have to worry about that because he's not attracting the same guys Saban did at Alabama.

"I don't attract that type of player. I attract the type of player that wants to be great, that understands he has a window of opportunity and he has to have a commitment to excellence. There are players who are playing for a bag, which growing up in the environment, you can't blame them, you can't fault them. If you're going to give up a bag, you're gonna have players playing for a bag, so I do understand it. I may not condone that's your focus because I've always thought if you just focus on being great, the bag is going to find you," Sanders recently said during an interview with Front Office Sports.

You can listen to his full comments below, and hit me with your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

While I appreciate the stand Sanders is taking, he also probably knows it's a bit ridiculous. Colorado isn't an NIL rich program. Not even a little bit. It's easy to tell everyone you don't want star recruits who are expensive when there's no money to buy them.

Sanders has literally spoken about who Colorado needs a financial boost. Why would he claim that if it's just about wanting guys who compete?

Does he think the guys at Alabama don't want to compete? Of course they do, but they also want to get paid. Power programs can write those checks. Colorado can't.

Will Deion Sanders ever have major NIL resources at Colorado? (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

It's really that simple. Trust me, if Deion Sanders could sign the top high school class in America with a few million dollars, I find it impossible to believe he wouldn't. So, yes, Colorado doesn't attract the same caliber of player as top teams, but it's not because of a simple mindset. It's because star recruits more often than not want to play for contenders. Think I'm wrong? Agree? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.