ESPN analyst believes Deion Sanders was Alabama's best coaching candidate

One of the network's top talents wants to see Coach Prime in the SEC

Deion Sanders isn't considering any other coaching positions. But that doesn't stop people from working up dream scenarios, including a longtime friend of Coach Prime's, who added his thoughts about Alabama's post-Saban era.

Stephen A. Smith has been calling for Sanders to be in the SEC. It started when Jimbo Fisher was fired at Texas A&M and continued once again on Friday morning. The ESPN personality said Sanders was the only coaching candidate to replace the GOAT in Tuscaloosa.

"Y'all are going to call me crazy, but I'm going to say it again," Smith said in his opening statement on Friday's episode of First Take about who should replace Nick Saban at Alabama.

"'Prime Time' Deion Sanders. I feel that way. He's probably mad that I'm going to say it. Because he's happy. Go ahead and be happy in Boulder, Colorado. Go knock yourself out... God bless you, okay... I'm not going to cast any aspersions on Boulder, Colorado. But, all I'm going to say is I've been there twice in my life, and the only reason for that was him. That's what it comes down to."

While Smith isn't living the Rocky Mountain "high life" in Colorado, he understands the impact Sanders has on college football and how that could've been capitalized on at Alabama. He went on to explain how Saban was having difficulties with the changes in NIL and the transfer portal. Two of the additions to the game that Coach Prime has been able to utilize to his advantage and create a better roster.

Alabama eventually announced Washington's Kalen DeBoer as Saban's successor after Smith's comments on Friday afternoon. The 49-year-old coach led the Huskies to an undefeated regular season prior to taking the runner-up spot to Michigan in this year's National Championship. He'll try to carry the Tide's success with his own vision in college football's version of the wild, wild, west.

As for Sanders, Colorado continues to build and has a better outlook compared to last year. An off-season with several wins in the transfer portal, along with three ESPN top 150 players coming to Boulder in the 2024 recruiting class. It's going to add to the storylines ahead of next month's Signing Day.