With rumors that he might be leaving for the NFL after the 2025 season, as well as his recent health struggles, Colorado’s Deion Sanders has failed in getting high school recruits to commit to the Buffaloes.
However, after Sanders posted a now-expired Instagram story where he teased that he might actually return next season, one 2026 Colorado target actually flipped and committed to the school.
2026 three-star OT Xavier Payne previously committed to Florida State, but has surprised many with his decision on Tuesday. He chose to go to Colorado over 30+ schools, including Syracuse.
𝑵𝑬𝑾𝑺: 2026 three-star OL Xavier Payne has committed to Colorado.
The 6-foot-7, 320-pound OT was a longtime Florida State commit.
He chose the Buffs over Syracuse and 30+ other offers. pic.twitter.com/nT5QCMJwo7
— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) July 7, 2025
Payne spoke with Rivals soon after his decision to flip and commit to Coach Prime’s program.
“That’s just where I want to be,” Payne said. “Everyone there has been to the league and that’s where I want to go.”
Xavier Payne is projected to play tackle with the Buffaloes next season should he honor his commitment. Payne talked about wanting to play as soon as possible, and it does not matter where he plays as he expects to contend for early playing time.
“It doesn’t matter where I play,” Payne added. “I want to play as early as possible and that’s the path they see for me.”
This is a huge sigh of relief for Deion Sanders’ program over at Boulder, which has the worst recruiting class for 2026 with only five commitments. Xavier Payne is only the sixth commitment for Colorado.
Deion Sanders Teasing His Return a Big Boon For the Colorado Buffaloes
With his sons already in the NFL, many have argued that Deion Sanders might not be sticking around Boulder for long. However, his “I’m Coming” Instagram story, which showed a photo of a tree-lined pathway, indicated a pathway for his return to not just Colorado, but also good health.
Sanders has been facing several health issues, including some blood clot problems. He had another story with the caption “Restore me Lord” which references his ongoing health problems.
However, the timing of these posts have fueled speculations as they were made just a few days before the Big 12 Media Days. It led to many fans suggesting that he may be returning to Colorado even after this season.
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