Colorado's No. 1 recruit addresses Buffaloes' transformation under Coach Prime

Colorado's No. 1 in-state recruit, offensive tackle Deacon Schmitt, said the Buffaloes have undergone a major transformation under coach Deion Sanders.

On Friday's episode of the DNVR Buffs podcast, Schmitt recalled attending a game at Folsom Field during his middle school years, where attendance was sparse and ticket prices were low.

Schmitt added,

“It’s a completely different place & they are going to be competing to play in the CFP. The transformation is crazy & it’s pretty awesome to me as a kid from Colorado.”

Schmitt, a four-star offensive lineman, cited Sanders as the primary force behind the program’s shift.

“It's not just Coach Prime,” he said. “Obviously he's a big part but he's got the pieces. It's Coach Prime and his pieces that are really changing that place around, and they've done a great job.”

He noted that the Buffaloes went 1–11 the season before Sanders arrived.

Schmitt added that the Buffaloes are now in a position to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Deacon Schmitt called Coach Prime a “wise man”

Coach Prime and his staff are making a strong push for four-star offensive tackle Deacon Schmitt, a top-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class.

Schmitt, a Windsor native, made an unofficial visit to Boulder and has longstanding ties to the program. He grew up following the Buffaloes and has expressed comfort with the environment on campus.

"It’s awesome," he said (h/t Sports Illustrated). "Coach Prime is a wise man. He talks about a lot of good things. It’s really bigger than football with him. He wants you to become a man and he will love you and support you as you do it."

Although Colorado aims to keep Schmitt in-state, he has multiple official visits scheduled with other top programs.

On the other hand, Sanders is set for another major recruiting weekend, headlined by five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan and including several blue-chip prospects across multiple positions.