Deion Sanders Introduces Spring Player Draft at Colorado

New Buffaloes coach tries innovative approach to boost competition and camaraderie ahead of 2026 season.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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In an effort to increase competition and team unity, Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has debuted an NFL-style draft to create two teams that will compete against each other during spring practice. The draft was led by team captains who took turns selecting players, with the surprising first overall pick being freshman quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne. Sanders says the draft is part of his plan to keep score of all competitions and have the players take ownership of their teams.

Why it matters

Sanders is looking to build a winning culture at Colorado after the team finished 3-9 last season. The spring draft is an innovative way to boost competition and camaraderie on a squad that has seen significant roster turnover, with at least 47 new transfers joining the team.

The details

The draft featured a 45-second time limit between picks, with the ESPN NFL draft chime played to signal each selection. Team captains Brady Kopetz and Ben Finneseth made the picks, with Kopetz's black team taking Sweetwyne first overall, surprising the gold team who then selected presumed starting QB Julian 'JuJu' Lewis at No. 2. Players were selected by position, with San Jose State transfer receiver Danny Scudero being the first wide receiver taken after leading the nation in receiving yards per game last season.

  • The spring draft took place on Friday, February 20, 2026.
  • Colorado's spring practice begins on March 2, 2026.
  • The Buffaloes' season opener at Georgia Tech was recently moved to Thursday, September 3, 2026 for a national ESPN telecast.

The players

Deion Sanders

The head football coach at the University of Colorado, known for his innovative approaches to building winning programs.

Kaneal Sweetwyne

A dual-threat freshman quarterback from Lehi, Utah who was the surprising first overall pick in the spring draft.

Julian 'JuJu' Lewis

A redshirt freshman quarterback who started two games for Colorado in 2025 and was the second overall pick in the draft.

Brady Kopetz

The captain of the black team who made the first overall selection in the draft.

Ben Finneseth

The captain of the gold team who questioned the black team's selection of Sweetwyne with the first pick.

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What they’re saying

“I love this. I love every last bit of it. And I can't wait to see us compete.”

— Deion Sanders, Head Coach (YouTube)

“So y'all took Kaneal Sweetwyne at No. 1. And the thing I know about Julian Lewis is he's got that fire in there, right? ... Julian Lewis, he gonna bring that fire.”

— Ben Finneseth, Gold Team Captain (YouTube)

“We keeping count of everything. So a lot of the guys you pick, ain't got nothing to do with us (coaches). That's on y'all. Y'all picked 'em and y'all are teammates. And you don't blame the coach. Don't blame nothing else but yourselves. You all picked this team. So y'all gotta take ownership of it. Y'all gotta encourage them. You gotta motivate them. You gotta get on them. ... And you guys gotta win. Winning is the bottom line, so you gotta kick their butt, and they gotta kick your butt. You got that?”

— Deion Sanders, Head Coach (YouTube)

What’s next

The two teams created through the spring draft will compete against each other during Colorado's spring practice, which begins on March 2, 2026. The competition and camaraderie built during this process will be crucial as the Buffaloes prepare for their season opener against Georgia Tech on September 3, 2026.

The takeaway

Deion Sanders' innovative spring draft is an attempt to build a winning culture at Colorado through increased competition and team unity. By pitting players against each other in a draft format, Sanders hopes to foster a sense of ownership and accountability that will translate to success on the field in 2026 and beyond.