Former 5-star recruit Hykeem Williams makes feelings clear on leaving Florida State for Deion Sanders' Colorado

On Wednesday, former five-star recruit Hykeem Williams revealed why he decided to change from Florida State to Colorado. In late April, the Seminoles' wide receiver jumped into the transfer portal to join Deion Sanders' Buffaloes.

The decision was largely influenced by the NFL-like environment Deion Sanders has created in Boulder. Speaking on "Reach The People Media," Williams said the following about his decision:

“The production, I mean, it's the best here for real," Williams said. "Honestly, you getting put on the biggest showcase. You know what I'm saying? And I mean, it connects. I mean, you getting coached by some of the best. They done did it. ... A lot of NFL come through here, so why not?” (4:00)

Williams initially joined the Florida State Seminoles in January 2023 as the fourth-best wide receiver in the class of 2022. In two seasons, he recorded just 267 receiving yards, with two touchdowns on 21 catches. When he jumped on the transfer portal this spring, he was considered the 32nd-best wide receiver in the portal.

What NFL coaches is Hykeem Williams referring to?

Of course, the most important former NFL player coaching at Colorado is Deion Sanders himself, but he's not the only pro football legend on the Buffaloes' coaching staff. The other two Hall of Famers working for the Buffaloes are Warren Sapp as a defensive rush pass coordinator and Marshall Faulk as a running backs coach.

Former NFL quarterback and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich is also an assistant coach at the school. Kevin Mathis, Andre Gurode, Domata Peko, George Hegamin, and Jason Phillips are also assistant coaches at Colorado.

The talent not only includes former players but also experienced NFL coaches. Former New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur is currently their offensive coordinator. Shurmur was named the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017, while he was serving as the Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator.

It's understandable why a player like Hykeem Williams would choose the Colorado Buffaloes as a place to develop.

About the author

Andres is an analyst who has reported on college basketball and college football at Sportskeeda since 2023. Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in law from Universidad Metropolitana in Venezuela, and has minor in International Relations. Andres holds a college certificate in Sports Entities Management from Unisport Management School in Spain. He is also an alumnus of the FIFA/CIES International Programme in Sports Management by FIFA and Universidad Metropolitana, and has been accepted into the Harvard CORe online program for which he was awarded a grant.

Given his background in sports management, law and business, Andres loves any chance to jump into the industry side of things and explain what's happening behind the curtain. He takes care when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff and ensures he refers only to appropriate and respected sources.

His favorite college team is the Arkansas Razorbacks. While Troy Aikman and Joe Montana are two of his most favorite QBs, he is also an admirer of Joe Burrow's style and is rooting for Riley Leonard to do well.

Andres is an avid reader, likes adventure sports, dabbles in rock climbing, and is also a scuba diver. He is also an enthusiastic gamer, especially when it comes to strategy PC titles and loves his fair share of Halo.

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Edited by Neha