Deion Sanders a.k.a. Coach Prime, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and current Colorado Buffaloes head coach, has always been vocal about his belief that “if you can play, they’ll find you.”
As a result, Sanders has made it a priority to recruit talented international players for his team. In just three months as head coach, Sanders has already signed two recruits from London, England, who are both products of the NFL Academy in London. Linebacker Kofi Taylor-Barracks and tight end Seydou Traore, a transfer from Arkansas State, are the two new additions to the team.
Recently, Sanders offered Emmanuel Okoye, an edge rusher from the NFL Academy who has also been pursued by other Power Five programs like Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and Minnesota. Okoye is an impressive prospect with a 6’6″ frame, weighing in at 230 pounds, and clocking a 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash.
Okoye’s journey to college prospect status began at former NFL star Osi Umenyiora’s Uprise Academy in Nigeria. With his raw talent and impressive work ethic, Okoye has been able to continually raise his prospect status, including putting on 20 pounds in preparation for the upcoming season. He is expected to make his collegiate choice in December’s early signing period.
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Sanders is eager to bring in more international talent to Colorado, believing that players’ abilities speak for themselves, regardless of where they come from.
The NFL Academy has been a great source of international talent, with Taylor-Barracks and Traore already proving to be successful at the collegiate level. Okoye is excited about the growing connection between the NFL Academy and Colorado and is hopeful that more international players will be recognized and recruited to the program.
With Sanders leading the charge in recruiting talented international players, the Colorado Buffaloes football team is poised to become a more diverse and competitive program in the coming years.
