Ranking Colorado Buffaloes' Best Players in the Deion Sanders Era

The Coach Prime era for the Colorado Buffaloes has been defined by these four players.

Nov 4, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders takes the field before the game against Oregon State Beavers at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chet Strange-Imagn Images | Chet Strange-Imagn Images

The Coach Prime era has seen some tremendous talent for the Colorado Buffaloes. Deion Sanders’s program has produced NFL talent and players who have brought in outstanding accolades during his tenure.

Among all of that talent, four players stand above the rest. Here’s a look at Colorado’s ‘Mount Rushmore’ of the Coach Prime era.

Cornerback/Wide Receiver Travis Hunter

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images | Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images

Hunter is not only the best player of the Coach Prime era, but arguably the greatest player in Buffaloes history. 

The two-way star won the program’s second-ever Heisman Trophy after a phenomenal 2024 season. That year, he racked up a stunning 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in the receiving game in addition to 35 tackles, 24 of which were unassisted, 11 pass breakups, a forced fumble and four interceptions on defense.

Hunter became the highest-drafted Buff of all time when the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him No. 2-overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He lived up to every ounce of his five-star hype out of high school and finished his CU career with his jersey number retired at Folsom Field.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) celebrates a third quarter touchdown pass against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The other player to have his jersey number retired during the Coach Prime era is quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders played for his father throughout his entire high school and collegiate careers, finding immense success at each stop.

Sanders also had an outstanding 2024 season, winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award after throwing for an FBS-best 4,134 yards in addition to 37 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.

Sanders was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, where he was named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie.

Safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes safety Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig (7) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Coach Prime’s defenses have had several unsung heroes during his time at Colorado, with one of those players being star safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig. He was a tremendous hybrid safety for Sanders and company in 2023 and 2024, racking up a whopping 133 tackles, 96 of which were unassisted, five pass breakups, three sacks, a forced fumble and four interceptions across those two seasons.

While Silmon-Craig went overlooked in the 2025 NFL Draft process, he received an opportunity with the Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.

Silmon-Craig was the true nucleus of Colorado’s defense, producing at arguably the highest level of any Buffs defender during the Coach Prime era.

Linebacker LaVonta Bentley

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos linebacker LaVonta Bentley (20) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bentley is one of the most unsung heroes of the Coach Prime era, as his contributions across the 2023 and 2024 seasons were nothing short of consistent. He racked up 124 tackles, 75 of which were unassisted, two pass breakups, six sacks and a forced fumble across those two campaigns at mike linebacker.

Bentley was overshadowed by Nikhai Hill-Green during his final season at CU, but was still one of the most productive Colorado defenders of the Coach Prime era when examining his full body of work. Though Bentley didn’t receive a shot in the NFL, he played for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the United Football League during the spring of 2026.

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