Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders told folks he was going to change the game as it pertains to HBCUs landing top prospects. Coach Prime has done that and then some in short order. When Deion flipped No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter, who had previously committed to FSU, it sent shock waves across the college football landscape.
On Saturday, the Tigers received a commitment from four-star wide receiver Kevin Coleman. Coleman is the No. 4-ranked pass catcher in the class of 2022 and No. 44 overall prospect. He made the announcement official to attend JSU during the fourth quarter of the All-American Bowl. The Tigers got the nod over Power schools such as Oregon, USC, Miami, and Florida State.
FIVE STAR Kevin Coleman just announced his commitment to play for JACKSON STATE š„
Coach Prime just secured the #4 WR in the NATION š¤« @DeionSanders @KevinLamarCole1 (via @NBCSports)pic.twitter.com/yDS9pQyhe8
— Overtime (@overtime) January 8, 2022
Another unlikely score for Coach Prime, who has transformed Jackson State into a real destination for four and five-star talent. An HBCU school that snatches recruits from the mouths of blue blood powerhouses.
Coleman has been compared to former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. His quickness, suddenness and change of direction are elite and will help the JSU offense immensely. His skill set also includes being a very good return man.
In an interview at the All-American Bowl, Coleman says his decision wasnāt made until Friday.
āI really stamped my decision Friday, really,” the dynamic offensive player said. “I just talked to my parents, told them the decision I was making was to be different, to make my own legacy, to make change.
āPrimetime, why not play with the best.ā
Coach Prime Adds Two Top 50 Players
In December, during the early signing period, Deion Sanders and JSU flipped Travis Hunter.
With the commitment from Kevin Coleman earlier today, @GoJSUTigersFB now becomes the 10th team to have multiple Top 50 recruits from the 2022 class šš pic.twitter.com/b8AKboIwTO
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 8, 2022
He shocked everyone on early signing day by picking up a JSU Tigers hat at the table as he made his decision.
Itās OFFICIAL #jsu #gotigers š @jacksonstatefb pic.twitter.com/UTyzMPgVH6
— Travis Hunter (@TravisHunterJr) December 15, 2021
Adding Coleman and Hunter (who can play both ways) gives the Tigersā offense and quarterback Shedeur Sanders more weaponry to work with as JSU looks to win back-to-back SWAC championships for the first since 1995-96.
Recruiting at this level was something that few thought could be done at an HBCU, including former NFL player Channing Crowder.
Channing Crowder Had To Eat Crow After Saying Deion Wouldnāt Be Able To Recruit Against Power 5:
Ryan Clark called Channing Crowder out for his comments about HBCUs not being able to get a top recruit on the podcast premiere of āThe Pivot Podcastā š.
*Crowder was wrong as the #1 recruit of 2022 Travis Hunter committed to Jackson State University in December!#HBCUPride pic.twitter.com/MPwiXinPof
— TimeoutSPORTS__ (@TimeoutSPORTS3) January 4, 2022
Crowder is a former four-star linebacker who played his college football at Florida. He was named an All-American and two-time First-Team All-SEC.
Earlier this year, via the āI AM ATHLETEā podcast, he voiced his doubts about Deion Sanders’ ability to out-recruit the established predominately white institutions (PWIs).
āI tell you now, Iām not against HBCUs, Iām not a hater or whatever. But Prime I went to Florida. What can Florida give a kid with the dorms, with the training tables, with the exposure, with the 100,000 people in the game …. yāall cannot compete with the teams thatās got so much resources, those Power-5 Prime, you cannot compete with those power-5 schools.ā
Crowder has joined the long line of short-sighted people who initially doubted the audacity and impact of The Coach Prime Effect but have since changed their tune following Deion’s latest recruiting magic.
He spoke about it on the āThe Pivot Podcast.ā
āI want to apologize because I said that, I did and it was very strong. I said thereās not gonna be a top recruit that chooses an HBCU over a Power-5 school and I want to apologize to Deion because he did pull him. As Deion he did pull Travis Hunter to an HBCU.ā
The nation's number one recruit, Travis Hunter, JUST MADE HISTORY š³
He's headed to @GoJSUTigersFB with @DeionSanders!pic.twitter.com/KRDwZtDdhn
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 15, 2021
Donāt ever doubt Coach Prime and his ability to recruit, coach and lead young men. Heās turning heads at JSU and HBCU football as a whole, and whatās even scarier is heās just getting started.
Shedeur, Hunter and Coleman are going to present nightmares for the SWAC for years to come.
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