Deion Sanders and Colorado lose second QB recruit in as many days

When the sun shines it's really bright, and when it rains it pours. Deion Sanders is finding that out at Colorado right now, as his Buffaloes have lost their second 2025 quarterback commitment in as many days.

Danny O'Neil, a three-star quarterback from Indianapolis, Indiana, decommitted from Colorado on Monday. O'Neil had been committed to Coach Prime and the Buffs since March, but Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports is reporting that the quarterback's thoughts on the program changed when Sanders demoted offensive coordinator Sean Lewis to co-coordinator alongside Pat Shurmur in the middle of the season.

There is speculation that Lewis won't be at Colorado next season, and it's a safe bet that O'Neil could favor whichever school the offensive coordinator ends up at. He has an offer list that features Houston, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Northwestern, Purdue and West Virginia, among others.

Considered one of the best quarterback recruits in the Midwest, O'Neil threw for 7,786 yards and 98 touchdowns during his prep career at Cathedral High School with 1,326 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground.

He's a big prospect for Sanders and the Buffaloes to miss out on, but the recruiting loss hurts even worse when considering the fact that just 24 hours ago, four-star quarterback Antwann Hill had decommitted from Colorado. 

Loss upon loss is reminiscent of Colorado's 2023 season. What started with incredible hype under Coach Prime ended with a six-game losing streak and the Buffaloes bowl ineligible for the third-straight season with a 4-8 record.

Perhaps turning Colorado around wasn't as easy as Coach Prime thought it would have been. He learned that on the field in 2023, and he's now figuring it out on the recruiting trail as well.