Joseph Williams Reveals How Deion Sanders Earned His Colorado Buffaloes Transfer Commitment

Instead of wowing with sky-high promises and NIL deals, coach Deion Sanders offers a pair of more valuable guarantees to Colorado Buffaloes recruits: an NFL-laden coaching staff and the opportunity to compete. Everything is earned, regardless of star rating.

Sanders' message struck the perfect chord with Tulsa Golden Hurricane transfer wide receiver and 2024 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Joseph Williams. While appearing on Darius Sanders' Reach The People Podcast, Williams explained how "Coach Prime" earned his transfer portal commitment in December over other suitors.

"I'm not going to say the school, but a school made a phone call when I told them I wanted (jersey) No. 8. He said, 'Yeah, reserve the number until I say otherwise,'" Williams said. "But 'Coach Prime' said I had to come in and earn it. (What) really got me is he's ('Coach Prime') not gonna give me what I want 'cause he knows he has other guys that are good also. So I have to come in and earn everything I get. With my jersey number, things I need, things I want, stuff like that, I have to come in and earn it. He's not gonna give it to me. Other schools weren't telling me that."

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Williams added that Deion Sanders' message resonated with how his mother raised him.

"My whole life, we didn't live the best, we struggled a little bit," Williams said. "My mom always taught me (to) never take the easy way out. If you take the easy way out, nothing good is gonna come out of it. Hearing him ('Coach Prime') say that, that's all I heard, was from my mom. I just heard in my head, 'No easy way outs.' That was super big for me. He's not gonna give me no handouts. He's gonna help me not only grow as a player but as a man."

Deion Sanders' approach may not work with all recruits, but it does keep his Colorado football program stuffed with hard workers and those playing the sport for the right reasons. As evidenced by his recruitment story and the NFL logo tattooed on his left forearm, Williams fits the "Coach Prime" archetype well.

During his lone season with the Golden Hurricane, Williams had 30 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns, including 100-yard games against South Florida, Eastern Carolina and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver grew up in Arlington, Texas, where he starred at Mansfield Summit High School.

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🚨 INSANE STORY! 🚨 Before committing to Colorado, WR @JosephWQB1 was already offered a jersey number by another school… but Coach Prime’s response? 😳

Hear the full story in my latest podcast! 🎧https://t.co/jvh0kkdWo7 pic.twitter.com/1Ho59AvcSt
— The Darius Sanders (@KingDarius_NS) June 7, 2025

Williams is one of four transfer wide receivers to join the Buffs this offseason, preceding Sincere Brown (Campbell), Hykeem Williams (Florida State), and Jack Hestera (Utah State). Those four and others will catch passes from either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or incoming freshman Julian "JuJu" Lewis, who are competing for Colorado's starting quarterback job.