Deion Sanders discusses rise of Jackson State, HBCUs

In the age of name, image and likeness, Division I programs no longer have monopolies over the nation’s top recruits, just as Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders who just poached the nation’s No. 1 player in Travis Hunter during the early signing period.

I’m loving, I’m loving it,” Sanders said on the Bart & Hahn Show. “I’m excited, I’m elated because it’s not just attention that we adore, we adore to the change that we’re promoting. Change — not just Jackson State is coming up, but Sam [Houston State] are getting four star players, the Southern’s, the Mississippi Valley’s, the Gramblings … Tennessee State is doing a wonderful job.”

Let’s go down the list and name just a few at three different schools:

Jackson State — Travis Hunter, five-star per On3. No. 1 overall player in 2022, No. 1 ATH and No. 1 in Georgia.

Kevin Coleman, four-start per On3. No. 71 overall player in 2022, No. 8 wide receiver and No. 2 player in Missouri.

Grambling — Cam’Ron Jones, four-star per On3. No. 260 overall player in 2022, No. 35 linebacker/safety and No. 35 player in Texas.

Sam Houston State — They’ve recruited five three-stars to their 2022 class. Erick Conley, Jacob Chester, Chris Hicks, Jay Rockwell and Jaidan Scott all have grades of 80 or higher.

Obviously Jackson State is the most attractive place to come play if you’re a Division I prospect looking to jump to an HBCU for the sole reason that not only does Deion Sanders, one of the greatest NFL players of all time, coach the team — the national spotlight is on you. Two or three times a year Jackson State plays their games on ESPN and the nation has taken notice.

Sanders said the worst place for a Division I prospect to be is homecoming at an HBCU simply because they’ll never want to leave.

“One of the reasons that we got Travis Hunter is, he came here during homecoming,” Sanders said. “That’s the last place you want to let an African American kid come to a HBCU homecoming when we had almost 60,000 on hand. The culture of the band, and we won and we were dominant. He’s in there listening to my pregame speech and at the conclusion of the speech of I’m saying like, ‘give me my theme music’ and ‘My Hitta, My Hitta’ comes on and everybody there is dancing and rockin’ because that’s who we are.”

Now with the nation’s best in Hunter on board with Coach Prime, does Sanders have any more tricks up his sleeves?

“We should have more surprises,” Sanders said. “I’m hoping one will pick us — at least one more big surprise.”