The record may not show it, but Deion Sanders is already getting some praise from other college football coaches.
Well, at least from Lane Kiffin.
The On3 Transfer Portal X account asked who should be considered the "GOAT" of the transfer portal era. The three options they named were Colorado Buffaloes and Ole Miss Rebels head coaches, along with Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning.
Kiffin wanted to set the record straight, calling Coach Prime the official GOAT while tagging the Buffaloes in his post.
Coach Prime!!!! @CUBuffsFootball https://t.co/PYbnlCHRoA
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) July 9, 2024
If we're just going off of the last two seasons, Kiffin may just be acting modest. Colorado boasted the No. 1 transfer portal class when Sanders arrived in 2023. However, they bumped back down to eighth in the portal heading into 2024.
Meanwhile, the Rebels have crushed the transfer portal over the last couple of years. They were right behind Colorado at No. 2 in 2023, then jumped up to the No. 1 spot for this upcoming season. They also had the second spot in 2022, but that was before Coach Prime took over in Boulder.
Lanning has also produced some strong transfer portal classes, but not on the level of Kiffin or Sanders. The Ducks have the second-ranked transfer class for this year, but only had the No. 9 class heading into 2023.
All three coaches come into the 2024 season with lofty expectations. ESPN's post-spring ball power rankings had Oregon at No. 4 and Ole Miss at No. 6, but don't mention Sanders and the Buffaloes. That's not the end of the world for a team still rebuilding, but the return of both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter should have them ready to make a run for bowl eligibility.
Sanders is hoping that transfer "GOAT" label can start leading to some wins sooner instead of later.
