Most of us probably came to know about Deion Sanders as a football player. But did you know that he had a successful High School career in basketball and baseball as well?
Deion Sanders made his first move in sports when he was barely ten years old. His first sport? Baseball. And he gives credit for his career success to his stepfather Willie Knight, who nurtured him to be a disciplined athlete we’ve come to know for many years.
Moving on to high school, Deion Sanders carried on playing baseball. But he also added other sports like football and basketball to the list.
While playing a game of basketball, Deion had an accident on the court. Oddly enough, this incident opened his doors to FSU.
The Accident That Opened FSU Doors For Deion Sanders
Typically, an accident leads to hefty hospital bills and weeks of discomfort, but for Deion, it led to the opportunity of his lifetime.
It happened when Prime Time was already a standout player in basketball. As a shining star on Fort Myers High School basketball team, Deion felt the surging pleasure to keep up his unmatched skills. So, during a basketball game, Deion jumped too high and cut his eyebrow on the 10-foot high rim.
To Deion’s surprise, Harbison, an assistant FSU football coach, was in the crowd watching Deion’s little accident. And it’s safe to say that he was impressed by it. He cancelled all his scouting trips after that. Florida State University (FSU), among others, was now willing to recruit him.
But could Deion Sanders accept the offer?
Recruitment At FSU
FSU had been watching Deion Sanders since his early high school days. “When Deion was a sophomore, he really hit my radar screen. His name started to be in the paper. So I really started paying attention,” said longtime FSU booster Walter Grace. Recognizing his talent, the Seminoles soon approached him with a recruitment offer.
“I knew all the coaches at North Fort Myers, and they were all good friends of mine,” added Grace when remembering recommending Deion to the then-FSU coach, Bobby Bowden.
“It was the easiest recruiting job I ever had, because there really wasn’t much competition. After Deion took off, that turned things around for Southwest Florida and recruiting.”
FSU offered Deion a football scholarship a few days after their meeting. Besides, FSU promised Deion Sanders that he’d get a shot to play as a true freshman.
Moved with the offer, Deion Sanders went to FSU. To his surprise, FSU coaches were conflicted on which position he’d take. Defensive coaches argued that he was best suited for the cornerback position, while the offensive staff wanted him to play as a wide receiver.
At last, Deion Sanders found himself playing cornerback. The position helped Deion Sanders shape his career into one of the most remarkable achievements in his athletic career. While at FSU, Deion Sanders achieved:
- Two-time Consensus All-American in 1987 and 1988
- 14 career interceptions
- 1988 Jim Thorpe Award
Other Programs That Were Interested In Prime Time
Seeing how freakishly athletic he was, more programs besides FSU made their moves to have Deion Sanders on their teams.
The University of Georgia wanted Deion Sanders badly. They had an outstanding football tradition and were interested in his two-sport potential (football and baseball). Unfortunately, Deion turned down their offer.
Another enticing program that was drawn towards Deion Sanders’ impressive skills is the University of Miami, which was an extremely sought-after program for student athletes in the ’80s.
Their legacy and reputation had made them one of the most dominant programs back in the day, and appeared to resonate with Deion’s personality. Still, Deion Sanders couldn’t agree to their recruitment deal.
Other programs that wanted to recruit Deion Sanders include:
- University of Southern California
- University of Florida (Florida Gators)
Why Deion Sanders Chose To Attend FSU
Prime Time went to the FSU for 3 main reasons:
To Stay Close to His Mother: Connie Knight, Deion’s mom, lived in Fort Myers, Florida. So, playing in FSU allowed him to stay in the same state with his mom. And Connie could attend all his games in and around Florida, which was a big deal for Deion since she did not attend any of his games in High School.
To Start Playing Straight Away: FSU promised that Deion Sanders would start playing right away as a freshman. His urge to enrol in the team and start shining early prompted him to accept the deal.
To Enjoy Cafeteria Food at FSU: Funny enough, Deion was recruited to FSU to enjoy the food at their cafeteria. Besides, Miss Betty, a woman who worked at the cafeteria, promised to love and take care of Deion Sanders as if he were her own son. That promise sealed the deal!