Brenden Rice “Definitely Would Have Been at Colorado” if Deion Sanders Had Landed in Boulder Before the Wideout Made the Switch

USC star wide receiver Brenden Rice is often overshadowed by his father Jerry Rice’s legendary status. He is, however, on his way to etch his own legacy in the National Football League as a top prospect for the upcoming draft. He had a stellar season with the Trojans last year, but he wishes a few things were still different.

During his recent interview with Keyshawn Johnson on his podcast, “All Facts No Brakes,” Brenden Rice disclosed that he would have remained at the University of Colorado if Coach Prime had joined the program before he decided to transfer to USC.

Rice, who initially started his college career at Colorado in 2020 before transferring to USC in 2022, expressed his admiration for the potential culture change Sanders has brought to the program. The Hall of Famer Deion Sanders joined the Colorado Buffaloes as head coach in 2023, a year after Brenden’s transfer.

Rice highlighted his beliefs in Sanders having a winning mentality which would help take the program to new heights. He emphasized his desire to rejuvenate his former team and bring it back to prominence. He also described playing alongside Shedeur Sanders, whom he described as a legendary quarterback.

“I think I would definitely have been at Colorado just to play with the Shedeur Sanders. I think he’s a legendary quarterback. The culture there. It’s a Dog eat Dog mentality and I love that.”

Coach Prime made headlines when he left Jackson State to coach the struggling Colorado program. Before he arrived in Boulder, the Buffaloes had a rough season, only winning one game out of eleven in 2022. But under Deion Sanders, they started strong, with three wins in a row.

Although they faced some losses later on and ended the season with a disappointing 4-8 record, there was a noticeable shift in the players’ mindset. The upcoming season shows promise for the Buffaloes, with a high percentage increase in college applications and a restructured roster that can hold its own against a tough team.

Brenden Rice’s Mount Rushmore of USC Wide Receivers

Further in the Podcast, Brenden was asked by Johnson to pick his Mount Rushmore of wide receivers at USC. Rice without a thought, named Keyshawn Johnson as his first choice, followed by Robert Woods, Marqise Lee, and Drake London.

However, Keyshawn Johnson disagreed with Brenden’s choice of Drake London. He felt players like himself, Mike Williams, Lynn Swann, and either Robert Wood or Dwayne Jarrett should be on the list instead. Keyshawn emphasized his own achievements and those of other USC legends, suggesting that Drake London didn’t belong among the greatest USC wide receivers as he was more of a basketball player.

Johnson, who played for USC, was drafted by the New York Jets as the first overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft. As per Pro Football Reference, he went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL with the Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Panthers. In his tenure, he started in 162 of 167 games, recording 814 receptions for 10,571 yards and 64 touchdowns.