Tyler Atkinson is one of the top defensive players in the 2026 recruiting class, and the five-star outside linebacker outlined Deion Sanders’ recruiting plan for future seasons.
Coach Prime Ready To Recruit From the Portal
The 6-foot-2 linebacker is regarded as one of the hottest prospects coming out of high school. Over three dozen teams have already offered Atkinson a scholarship to be part of their team for 2026 and beyond.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Georgia Bulldogs, and Texas Longhorns are already among those looking at Atkinson. Coach Prime reached out to speak to the linebacker regarding what the Colorado Buffaloes can offer, per Athlon Sports.
Colorado has improved greatly under Sanders’ stewardship, going from 4-8 in the 2023 season to a much better 9-4 record in 2024, including a 7-2 performance against Big 12 opposition. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are both heading to the NFL Draft, leaving Coach Prime needing to assemble a roster worthy of a College Football Playoff contender.
Being able to attract Atkinson would be a huge coup for the Buffaloes as he is rated as the No.9 overall recruit by ESPN and the No. 2 defensive player in entire the 2026 recruiting class.
On Sunday, Feb. 2, Sanders spoke to Atkinson, who joined On3 to discuss his meeting, the head coach’s attitude, and his recruiting plans for the future.
Coach Prime told Atkinson he is looking for “real dogs that are ready to play at the next level and serious about their path like myself. Otherwise he will be recruiting in the portal.” The recruit went on to say “his energy is contagious, and it really sparked my interest to get out to Boulder this spring.”
With Sanders at the helm, Colorado is in a great position to recruit highly rated high school players in the next few years. The transfer portal can be a really useful asset to Colorado as they can now attract those from the more established playoff contenders looking for a fresh start.
KEEP READING: When Hall of Famer Deion Sanders Predicted His Own CFB Rise
Where this could get difficult is if Sanders does not manage to recruit the desired number of high schoolers and leaning on the transfer portal is not how to develop a program of their own.
As of right now, Colorado has yet to sign a 2026 recruit, and they only have 14 players committed from the 2025 class. There is now doubt the recruitment from Coach Prime will step up and Atkinson may well be on his way to Boulder come next summer.
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