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WHEN ADRIAN WALKER scheduled his unofficial visit to Colorado for the Week 3 game against Colorado State, he had no idea he’d be there with Lil Wayne, Master P, Offset and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

But that’s exactly where Walker and the other recruits on campus found themselves, in what is now the new norm with Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. It’s not just locker room tours and meetings with coaches, recruits are seeing a whole different pitch from Sanders and his staff.

“It was crazy that Lil Wayne was right there,” said Walker, a 2025 wide receiver recruit. “I shook The Rock’s hand and to be in that type of moment was crazy. Being that close to celebrities and being in that moment was unbelievable.”

The parade of celebrities, which included musicians and hall of fame athletes, continued at Saturday’s game against the USC Trojans.

“Deion can bring these guys out based off of him and the relationships that he has with people,” Mantrez Walker, a 2025 linebacker recruit who visited for the USC game, said. “A player might come back [at a different school] if he’s an alumni, or he’s being honored for something, but nowhere else is going to have all those guys in one place.”

The first three weeks of the season — with wins over TCU, Nebraska and Colorado State — brought the starpower and hype to Colorado, which went 1-11 last season. The next two games — losses to Oregon and USC — have shown how far the roster needs to go.

In the three recruiting classes before Sanders’ arrival, Colorado didn’t finish higher than 34th in the ESPN recruiting class rankings. In two of those classes (2021, 2022), the Buffaloes did not sign an ESPN 300 prospect.

Colorado’s 2024 recruiting class has eight total commitments, including two ranked in the ESPN 300 with Aaron Butler and Brandon Davis-Swain. Sanders is still trying to add to that 2024 class and make a splash by going after some big targets, including five-star Texas A&M commit Cam Coleman, who visited for the USC game. He is getting a head start in 2025, and had Mantrez Walker, ESPN Junior 300 receiver Taz Williams Jr. and ESPN Jr. 300 defensive end Christopher Burgess Jr. on campus for the game against the Trojans, as well.

Sanders has had stunning recruiting wins the past two cycles, flipping elite playmakers and using the transfer portal to bring 86 new players into the program in one offseason. When Sanders was at Jackson State from 2020-2022, he flipped five-star cornerback Travis Hunter from Florida State on national signing day in the 2022 cycle. He did it again in 2023 when he got five-star defensive back Cormani McClain to Colorado from Miami.

Recruits from the 2024 and 2025 classes and their parents are paying attention. Not just to the hype, but to the no-nonsense, disciplinarian coach at the center of the process and the two-time consensus All-American, two-time Super Bowl winner and Pro and College Football Hall of Famer who has succeeded in every part of the sport.

“He makes the time to make you feel special and he puts it all on the table,” Leon Edwards, the father of CU freshman running back Dylan Edwards, a former ESPN 300 recruit, said. “It was a no-brainer from there, because it’s just Deion is the truth and he puts the truth on the table and those kids just absorb it. They want to play for someone that has done the things that he has done and has stood on his word.

“I think that’s where he wins.”


SANDERS IS FOND of saying, “I ain’t hard to find,” when talking to recruits and detractors alike. Recruits, however, should not expect an open line to the Colorado coach.

“I don’t think Coach Prime gives his number to any recruit, from what I know,” Butler, a 2024 CU commit and the No. 80 prospect in the ESPN 300, told ESPN. “It’s just how he is and he doesn’t want dudes just having his number. When you’re playing for him, it’s serious, it ain’t no fandom. His job is to coach and when you get there, he’s going to coach you.”

If a recruit wants to talk to Sanders or he wants to talk to a recruit, an assistant coach will facilitate it. When it comes to recruiting, Sanders is as personable and hands-on as he can be, especially when recruits and families are on campus.

“He’s just a laid-back person, he just talks about life. He said [on a visit], ‘Don’t lie to a kid,’ and that really made my mom smile,” ESPN 300 recruit Kamron Mikell said. “I think recruits are drawn to him, because people see him as somebody who turns us kids into believers and he makes everyone believe in themselves.”

When Davis-Swain, a defensive end recruit, arrived at Pasta Jay’s during an official visit to Colorado in June, he and his father, Brandon Davis, saw a more laid-back version of Sanders.

Pasta Jay’s, a quaint 35-year-old Italian restaurant in Boulder with a sign out front that reads “Prime for President,” has become Sanders’ go-to place for hosting recruits and their families on official visits.

Inside, Sanders and the recruits have the place to themselves. The Buffaloes’ coach held court as the appetizers rolled out, followed by what seemed like unlimited pizza and pasta.

Davis had been around Sanders briefly on the visit, but never in this relaxed, intimate setting. He didn’t know what to expect and was still a little star struck, realizing he was eating dinner with Deion Sanders.

“It’s Prime Time,” Davis said with a big laugh.

These on-campus visits might be much more valuable during this recruiting cycle. After having surgery in March 2022 to have two toes amputated and part of a muscle taken out to help with circulation, Sanders had not been able to travel. Sanders had another procedure over the summer to relieve blood clots in both legs. Because of that, Colorado recruits and their families haven’t been able to spend as much time in-person with Sanders.

When Butler and his family took an official visit to Colorado in April, they met Sanders in a room off his personal office.

The room has a wall of windows overlooking Folsom Field with the mountains in the distance. Sanders typically sits in a leather chair that feels purposefully higher off the ground than where the prospects are sitting.

The conversations are more akin to the Pasta Jay’s experience than they are the flash and extravagance. They can range from how the prospect fits on the field, what is expected of them, life lessons or sometimes just cracking jokes. And they quickly get past Sanders’ celebrity.

“It was right after they had offered me and [Sanders] pulled a couple of us [recruits] aside and had a sit-down with him for about 30 minutes,” Talan Chandler, a three-star offensive line commit, said. “It’s Coach Prime, you’re meeting with Deion Sanders and you’re shell shocked, but he’s just such a charismatic guy and he’s super genuine. He doesn’t have an ego, he doesn’t think he’s better than you and he makes you feel like he cares about you.”

There are plenty of coaches who relate to recruits, but Sanders, according to Walker, has different qualities that differentiate him from other coaches.

“Having a coach who went through the recruiting process, went through the collegiate process and went to the NFL,” Walker said. “Being coached by a guy like that and in a place where you can be you and you can get your name out there. You can get the connections you need, you can develop, he’s not afraid to play freshman and he’s a player’s coach.

“It’s all those things combined.”

Robb-Davon and Courtney Butler, the parents of Aaron Butler, have known Sanders since Robb and Sanders played together for a season with the Baltimore Ravens. He knew Prime Time, and they didn’t fully know how Sanders would be different.

“Make no bones about it, Coach Prime is a different man than Prime Time. Prime doesn’t have anybody on his team that’s like him in terms of the character Prime Time,” Robb-Davon Butler said. “He wouldn’t have any of it. There’s no way you can get away with being how he was when he was in that age or even as a pro and play for him. There is individuality, but there are no individuals above the team.”

Sanders’ attention to detail, the people he has surrounded himself with and how important every recruit seems to be is something the Butler family said they had not experienced at many other schools. When Courtney had surgery, the Colorado staff sent her cards wishing her well on the procedure, they were shocked that they even remembered the surgery was taking place let alone the date.

Davis told Sanders about being a single father and raising his son Brandon, the struggle it has taken to get to this point and how their future could be impacted through his son getting an opportunity to play college football. Every time Davis was on campus or with Sanders, he said the two would sit as if there were no other obligations the coach needed to take care of.

The parents are an important part of the recruiting process for Sanders and his staff, as they are at most schools, and the staff makes it a point of emphasis to make them feel welcome, as well.

While at Pasta Jay’s, the families and recruits all eat, but there will be times where the parents hang back at the restaurant with some of the coaches while the recruits continue their visit or tours with players or personnel staff. Sanders and his coaches will often bring board games and playing cards and play games with the parents, talking, joking and showing that down-to-earth side that most have now experienced.

​​”Deion could go host the Grammy’s or he can come sit in your backyard at a family barbecue,” Omar Stoutmire, the father of 2023 Colorado signee Carter Stoutmire, said. “You’d be shocked at how down to earth he is, he’s like a chameleon.”


WHILE SANDERS EMBRACES the hype of being Prime Time for outsiders, something is different inside the program, according to recruits.

“His principles, like if you’re talking to him and you’re slouching, he’ll make you sit up and he’ll get on you,” Chandler said. “He holds everything to a top standard and there’s just something about that, that’s very, I’d say attractive to a recruit.

“Like, that’s excellence right there.”

Sanders tells recruits to sit up or tuck in their shirts. Cursing isn’t allowed and Sanders tells players to take off their hats, something Colorado State coach Jay Norvell criticized Sanders about. The players who can deal with those standards are the ones who stick around. The players who don’t will know up front that Sanders won’t let anything slide just because they’re a five-star or an instant-impact transfer.

When Sanders flipped McClain from Miami in the last recruiting cycle, it was a big win for the program and Sanders at the last minute. McClain, however, did not play in the first three games of the season before playing late in the blowout loss to the Oregon Ducks and most of the USC game, where he broke up a pass in the end zone.

After the Oregon game, Sanders was asked what McClain could do to see more playing time.

“Study. Prepare. Be on time for meetings. Show up to the dern meetings. Understand what we’re doing as a scheme,” Sanders said. “Want to play this game. Desire to play this game. Desire to be the best in this game at practice, in the film room and on your own free time.”

Sanders preaches the same accountability in the recruiting process and doesn’t promise anything to prospects.

“Oftentimes when coaches recruit, the recruits come in and the recruits are interviewing the coaches. We’re interviewing the recruits to make sure you have the intangibles,” Sanders said on “College GameDay.” “Smart, tough, fast, disciplined with character. But not only that, that you love the game. You’ve got an affinity and passion for the game.”

Butler was recruited by major programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Washington. He saw the accountability and character as a differentiator and something that attracted him even more to what Sanders was building.

“​​Just being around [Sanders] when I was up there and then through the recruiting process, you can see the main goal and the main thing is winning and, before anything else, getting the right dudes in there,” Butler said. “He’s not going to let you slack off or slouch in front of him. He’s going to make sure you’re ready to perform and perform at the level that you’re expected to.”

It wasn’t always that way, though, as Butler took a visit to Colorado in March before the mass offseason exodus that saw 47 players enter the portal during the spring transfer window in April. Butler wasn’t impressed with the talent on the field and wasn’t sure Colorado would be the place where he could compete against the best and achieve his goals.

He came home from the visit with the feeling he could have started immediately on that roster. When he saw Sanders turning over the roster and bringing in more talent, he was excited about what that would mean for the future and for his recruitment.

“Being in that environment, I get to prove myself and it’s a great opportunity because in a room with the right type of dudes pushing me, the type of dudes they have right now,” Butler said. “I’m looking at going there and competing with the top [players], so just having the opportunity to work with Travis Hunter and get better with him and push him to get better, it’s a beautiful thing. If you’re somebody, you’re not going to sit on the back of the porch and want to play with the little pups, you gotta jump out there and really show what it is to everybody right off the rip.”

It’s that mentality Sanders is searching for. By being strict and sticking to who he is during the recruiting process, he’s targeting prospects with a similar mentality.

While Colorado’s 2024 class has just three four-star commits, Sanders and his staff still have time until the early signing period in late December as well as the transfer portal periods to add to the class. Sanders might even flip another high-profile recruit like he has done in the past two classes.

Coleman visited Colorado for the USC game despite his commitment to the Aggies. He’s the No. 8 prospect overall and would be a third five-star to flip to the program if Sanders is able to pull it off. Colorado is also heavily recruiting five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, the top prospect in the 2025 class. Underwood visited Colorado for the Colorado State game.

These are the kinds of players Sanders will need to land to turn Colorado from the best show in college football to a legit contender. Those already on board won’t bet against him.

“He’s charismatic and genuine and the people that he brings around him are all the same, they all just have that love and passion for football,” Chandler said. “He’s building a culture and brings a championship mindset around him. To be recruited by him, as he tells you, we’re coming here to win championships. This is what we want, we want excellence here.”

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Pickard injured, Skinner to start Gm. 3 for Oilers

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Pickard injured, Skinner to start Gm. 3 for Oilers

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Oilers switched goaltenders for Game 3 of their second-round playoff series against the Golden Knights, with Stuart Skinner replacing Calvin Pickard for Saturday night.

Pickard, who took over as Edmonton’s starter during a first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, was day-to-day, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said.

Pickard was stellar in Edmonton’s 5-4 overtime win in Game 2 with 28 saves, but he appeared uncomfortable in the third period and was seen shaking out his left leg.

He replaced regular-season starter Skinner when the Oilers trailed the Kings 2-0 in the first round. Edmonton won six in a row with Pickard in net and took a 2-0 series lead home from Las Vegas to Rogers Place. Skinner is 19-17 in career playoff games with the Oilers.

Also on Saturday, Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters that defenseman Brayden McNabb and forward Brandon Saad are both out of the lineup and considered day-to-day.

McNabb exited Game 2 after receiving a check to the boards by Oilers forward Viktor Arvidsson in overtime. Saad is being held out with an undisclosed ailment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Can the Golden Knights rally from down 2-0?

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Stanley Cup playoffs daily: Can the Golden Knights rally from down 2-0?

The second-round series of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have entered the “venue change” stage, where the previous visitors are now playing host.

The Carolina Hurricanes headed back to the Lenovo Center with a 1-1 series against the Washington Capitals, and they’ll pick up hostilities at 6 p.m. ET Saturday. The Edmonton Oilers traveled back to Rogers Place holding a 2-0 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights; Game 3 of that series is 9 p.m. ET Saturday.

What will the series tally be in Caps-Canes when it heads back to D.C. — and will the Knights win at least one in Alberta so they even see a Game 5 back in Las Vegas?

Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, a recap of what went down in Friday’s games and the three stars of Friday from Arda Öcal.

Matchup notes

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 3 | 6 p.m. ET | TNT

With the Canes and Capitals tied up 1-1 heading to Raleigh for Games 3 and 4, ESPN BET has Carolina as the -215 series favorite. Washington is +180 to win the series.

Capitals defenseman John Carlson scored a power-play goal in Game 2, his 13th career playoff power-play goal, which breaks a tie with Brian Leetch for third for such goals by an American-born defenseman. He still trails Chris Chelios (14) and Brian Rafalski (17).

For the first time in his postseason career, Tom Wilson reached all of these thresholds: 2 points, 3 shots on goal, 2 hits and 2 blocked shots. His seven points this season is the most he has had in a playoff run since the Cup-winning year of 2018 (15).

The Hurricanes have not held an in-game lead since Game 4 of the first round against the Devils. They won the series in Game 5 in a double-overtime game, then won Game 1 of this series 2-1 in OT after trailing 1-0. Since that lead in Game 4 of the first round, they have trailed for 89:28 and been tied for 117:55.

Among qualified goaltenders this postseason, Frederik Andersen leads by a wide margin in goals-against average (1.55), and is second in save percentage, at .930. The netminder ahead of him in SV%? Washington’s Logan Thompson.

Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers
Game 3 | 9 p.m. ET | TNT

Following two wins by the Oilers in Vegas, ESPN BET now lists Edmonton as the -550 favorites to win this series, with the Golden Knights at +380. Edmonton is also the current favorite to win the Cup, at +300, narrowly ahead of the Stars, at +325. Vegas is now +1800, the longest odds of any team remaining in the playoffs.

Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid combined to score the game-winning OT goal in Game 2. It was the second OT goal this postseason for Draisaitl, and he is now tied for the most such goals in a single postseason in Oilers history with Esa Tikkanen in 1991.

McDavid is second among playoff scorers with 14 points through eight games, trailing only Mikko Rantanen‘s 15. McDavid’s 1.75 points per game this postseason is ahead of his rate in playoff seasons past (1.58) and well ahead of his rate during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final (1.36).

Victor Olofsson had two goals and an assist in a losing effort in Game 2. Both goals were on the power play, and he joins Jack Eichel as the only players in Knights history with multiple power-play goals in a single playoff game.

Speaking of Eichel, he finished with three assists, joining Shea Theodore and William Karlsson as the only players in Knights history with two three-assist playoff games on their résumé.


Öcal’s three stars from Friday

After a rough first round against the Blues, Hellebuyck shut out the Stars in Game 2. He made 21 saves en route to the fourth clean sheet of his postseason career.

Ehlers had his second career multigoal game and added an assist in a big Game 2 effort that tied Winnipeg’s series with Dallas 1-1.

The former Bruin continues to haunt the Maple Leafs, this time with the overtime winner to get the Panthers on the series board at 2-1. It was his fourth career playoff OT goal, and he extended his own NHL record for most consecutive postseasons with a game-winning goal (nine).


Friday’s recaps

Florida Panthers 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 4 (OT)
TOR leads 2-1 | Game 4 Sunday

Toronto entered with a 2-0 series lead and got out to a 2-0 start in the game as well, with goals from Matthew Knies and John Tavares, before Aleksander Barkov drew the Panthers back to within a goal with his third goal of the postseason. Tavares added a power-play tally at 2:52 of the second period on a slick deflection, before the Panthers ripped off two goals in quick succession to tie the score. The first was thanks to Sam Reinhart poking the puck in during a wild scramble in the Leafs’ crease, the second after a superb pass from Sam Bennett to Carter Verhaeghe. Jonah Gadjovich put the home squad up 4-3, but Morgan Rielly tied things up midway through the third. It took until the final five minutes of the first OT, but Brad Marchand came through with another game-winning goal. Full recap.

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1:30

Brad Marchand’s OT winner sparks pandemonium from Panthers crowd

Brad Marchand scores a massive overtime goal to deliver the Panthers a 5-4 win over the Maple Leafs.

Winnipeg Jets 4, Dallas Stars 0
Series tied 1-1 | Game 3 Sunday

If this is the kind of goaltending the Jets will now get from Connor Hellebuyck, the Stars (and the rest of the NHL) are in trouble. Hellebuyck stopped all 21 shots sent on the Jets’ goal en route to his fourth career postseason shutout. On the offensive side, Gabriel Vilardi and Nikolaj Ehlers got the party started in the first. Adam Lowry added his fourth goal of the postseason in the second, and that 3-0 lead stood until 16:20 of the third, when Ehlers capped off the festivities with an empty-net goal. Full recap.

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0:26

Nikolaj Ehlers rolls in an empty-net goal for Winnipeg

Nikolaj Ehlers scores his second goal of the game to pad the Jets’ lead late in the third period vs. the Stars.

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Leafs’ Stolarz progressing but not close to return

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Leafs' Stolarz progressing but not close to return

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz continues to work his way back but doesn’t appear close to a return in Toronto’s second-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Florida Panthers.

“He’s progressing in the right direction,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said Saturday. “But he has not skated yet [since getting hurt].”

Stolarz was injured during Game 1 on Monday. The goaltender took a puck off his mask and an elbow to the head from Panthers forward Sam Bennett in the second period, exiting shortly after the Bennett hit. Stolarz, who was ill on Toronto’s bench before he left the game, was later transported to a hospital for evaluation.

The veteran was able to rejoin his teammates Tuesday at their facility but did not travel with the Maple Leafs to Florida ahead of Friday’s Game 3.

Joseph Woll took over the starting duties from Stolarz and helped stake Toronto to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. But Woll struggled in Game 3, recording an .861 save percentage as the Panthers mounted two multigoal comebacks to down the Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime.

Berube said after the loss that he “thought [Woll] was really good” but that he didn’t love when Panthers fourth-liner Jonah Gadjovich beat the goaltender cleanly from outside the right faceoff circle to give Florida its first lead of the game at 4-3.

Woll also has been adjusting to playing the puck amid Florida’s smothering forecheck.

“They rim a lot of pucks,” Woll said Friday. “I’m just trying to do my best to help us break out.”

Florida hasn’t made it easy on Toronto in that respect. Berube anticipates Woll can learn from Friday’s mistakes and improve, though.

“It’s difficult,” Berube said. “A lot of those rims are up; they’re not on the ice. And that’s designed. If they can get a good lick on it, they’re going to get it on the glass. It’s pretty tough for him to come out and play those. He did get to a lot of them. But they’re coming hard. He’s going to have to move it quick.”

Game 4 of the series is set for Sunday.

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