The college landscape has evolved. Sustained success now depends on bringing in top talent year after year. And that’s exactly what Deion Sanders and the Buffs will have to do now that their stars are off to greener pastures. Pressure is on the Buffs HC and his coaching staff to prove he can build a roster capable of competing with college football’s elites.
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Despite relying on the transfer portal for the most part, the Buffs have taken 14 players from High Schools around the country. One of them is a three-star linebacker from Georgia, Mantrez Walker. But why him over a more? According to LB Coach Andre Hart, it all came down to instincts.
“To answer your question seriously, instincts. It’s about instincts. At the end of the day, being able to play the run and play the box and make them pass the ball, because we don’t have a lot of stress most of the times… we can get back in the zone and sit back. You don’t have to worry about taking anything vertical. So it’s the instincts, at the end of the day that gets it from that,” he added.
During Walker’s junior season, he finished with 54 tackles, four tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries to help lead the team to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the 7A quarterfinals.
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The Buffaloes lost several linebackers to the NFL draft this season, including Kahlil Benson, Nikhai Hill-Green, Johny Chaney, and Tyler Johnson. The Buffs will be hoping Martinez can step in and create a better impact than those who’ve left. Both the Buffs and Mantrez are looking for a fresh start. But some things might haunt them going into the new season.
Mantrez Walker’s dad caught in a scandal
While Mantrez Walker continues to impress and turn heads, his father has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons—exploiting his son’s talent and connections to Colorado. Malcolm Walker orchestrated a scam, promising eager recruits a meeting with Deion Sanders and his coaching staff in exchange for a $1,000 fee.
However, the meetings never took place. After receiving payment, Walker repeatedly made excuses and failed to deliver on his promises.
Though he has only been charged in Georgia so far, authorities suspect he ran the same scheme in multiple states. He now faces charges of theft by deception. Hopefully, Mantrez will be able to shake this off as he hopes to start a new chapter under the wing of Deion Sanders—a coach famous for helping his players through thick and thin.
