Deion Sanders Lands First Big Recruit at Colorado

After just one night with the new program, a top recruit already has chosen Colorado because of its new coach.

Less than a day after Deion Sanders was announced as Colorado’s new football coach, he already has landed a highly touted recruit. Four-star wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. announced Sunday that he is committing to the Buffaloes. 

“Let’s Make History, Fort Myers wit Fort myers,” Watkins posted on Twitter. 

The 2025 recruit hails from Fort Myers, Fla., just like Sanders. He’s one of the top wideouts in his class, a fact that signals Sanders’s presence in the Pac-12 already can be felt on the recruiting trail. 

Watkins was previously committed to Texas A&M before pledging to Colorado on Sunday. 

Sports Illustrated’s Wilton Jackson reported that Sanders called a Jackson State team meeting following the Tigers’ victory in the SWAC title game Saturday to let his team know he was leaving, before Colorado officially made the announcement. 

During an interview with On3, Watkins was asked why he chose Colorado, and he wasn’t shy about his admiration for his new coach. 

“Deion Sanders!” Watkins said. “He is the GOAT and will always be. He’s an amazing coach and can develop me as a player and person.”

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