Deion Sanders and Colorado have landed another top player out of the transfer portal. On Tuesday, Washington defensive line transfer Sav’ell Smalls committed to the Buffaloes.
Smalls was a former five-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle for Washington and was ranked as high as No. 15 in the country by ESPN. He initially committed to the Huskies over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC.
During his time in Seattle, Smalls recorded 32 total tackles including one tackle for a loss.
For Colorado, the Smalls’ commitment is some much-needed positive recruiting PR for Deion Sanders and his program. The Buffaloes have obviously seen an exorbitant, 50 players enter the transfer portal since Sanders took over in December.
While the mass exodus was forewarned by Sanders himself, it has still come as quite the culture shock to the college football system. Many wonder if Sanders’ despite trying to improve his roster immediately is also hurting his own potential down the road as he potentially damages crucial relationships with various high schools across the country including some that produce top talent on a regular basis.
Either way, Smalls is the type of player that Sanders and Colorado will try to have their biggest successes with this year and the next few seasons. With so many overturn on their roster, the Buffaloes will have to take some chances on once high-regarded prospects who haven’t panned out in hopes that a change of scenery and new coaching staff could unlock that potential.
Overall, while Sanders’s tactics have been unusual, at least to this volume, if it proves to be successful, it could mark a turning point in how head coaches look to turn around struggling programs. Since a 10-win season in 2016, Colorado has won five games or less in each of the last six seasons. That 2016 season is also the program’s lone winning season since 2005.
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