Deion Sanders finally found his next Travis Hunter in the form of the same versatile, two-way player. Guess what? The same air of Florida flows through him. Coach Prime and his protégé, Hunter, both share a Florida story that’s a pure gold football narrative. This shared Florida-born pedigree bonds them, and now there is another two-way athlete from Bradenton, Florida, falling in the 2027 class, pledging his commitment to the Buffs. Alexander Ward’s decision to decommit from Alabama and pledge to Colorado marks a pivotal moment in his recruitment journey.

It’s even a bigger moment for Coach Prime as Ward becomes the first commit of Colorado’s 2027 class. On Tuesday, this versatile 4-star athlete made headlines by ending his recruitment ride with Alabama and pledging to join the Buffaloes. Ward’s decision comes after months of consideration, where he weighed offers from 13 programs. Powerhouses like Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas A&M were practically fighting for him. However, there is a family pull right at Boulder that Ward couldn’t ignore.

He’s the younger brother of Colorado’s 2026 commit Christian Ward, who also plays at IMG. Christian picked the Buffaloes last month over schools like Arizona State, Michigan, and Bama. Before IMG, Alex played for Walton High in Georgia. Last year, as a sophomore, he caught 9 passes for 152 yards with 2 touchdowns. And let’s not forget his defensive prowess, with which he added 18 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions. Just like Hunter, he plays both safety and wide receiver.

He has the perfect traits that echo the “Travis Hunter mold” Deion Sanders loves to develop. Hunter was no ordinary recruit. Back when Sanders was coaching at Jackson State, chances were slim for a blue-chip recruit like Hunter to skip the big-time Power 5 programs and FBS schools. But Deion had a vision and knew how to tap into what made Hunter tick beyond just raw talent. The result? Through just two games, Hunter has logged 274 snaps with 81.6% on offense as a wide receiver and 95.8% on defense at cornerback.

He’s been everywhere, even on special teams, showing why he’s in the Heisman talk. Sanders take? “I know how to do it. Know how to monitor it. I know how to make sure that you are where you need to be.” Now it’s going to be the same formula for Alexander Ward in the coming years. Ward ranked the No. 10 athlete in the country and No. 22 overall in Florida.

Travis Hunter factory at Boulder?

You are mistaken if you thought Alexander Ward was going to be the only guinea pig to repeat the Travis Hunter experiment. As it turns out, Coach Prime already started to work his magic on a freshman in Boulder, Kam Miller. Mikell, a 4-star recruit from Statesboro, Georgia, is stepping into Hunter’s spotlight with big shoes to fill. And Sanders clearly sees something in him.

“Wherever we put him, he works his but off. Now he’s at running back,” Sanders said. “He’s definitely still going to have an opportunity to play both sides of the ball. I love the way he goes about life and the game.” Mikell is currently getting a taste of life at running back while still developing his skills on both offense and defense, much like Hunter did in his Boulder days.

Let’s talk numbers. Travis Hunter was a beast last year, racking up 1,258 yards with 96 catches on offense, while grabbing four interceptions, making 36 tackles, and breaking up 11 passes on defense. Those stats threw him right into the first-team All-American club and made him a household name for two-way dominance. But it wasn’t just about raw talent. Hunter was heavily involved on both sides, proving he could handle heavy snaps without burning out game after game.

And now, Miller has already fit into the system. But time will tell if Ward can take over once he enters Boulder.