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Colorado football attracted multiple hip-hop superstars during fall football games the last two seasons. One legend from the genre congratulated Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes for pulling off one college football recruiting move Monday.
Former Florida State commit Xavier Payne chose Colorado instead. The Buffaloes land a massive 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackle out of Edison High in Miami. Payne decommitted from FSU on June 22.
Edison High is led by musical legend Luther Campbell. Better known as “Uncle Luke” from 2 Live Crew fame. Campbell produced raunchy and controversial hit songs as the group's front man during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Yet he still won a landmark Supreme Court case that brought copyright law and freedom of speech into the forefront.
He's renowned for his past fandom for Miami football. Despite getting barred from the university in 2014. Campbell now followed Sanders into the head coaching profession. He's kept a strong relationship with “Coach Prime.” Including sending this message following Payne's commitment.
“Congrats to our very own ‘I bring the Payne' on your commitment to Colorado football. Big shout out to my good friend coach Deion Sanders!” Campbell said on X (formerly Twitter).
Payne becomes the first Campbell player to land with Sanders and Colorado.
Could ‘Uncle Luke' create new Colorado pipeline with Deion Sanders?
Campbell went from selling records to drawing up football schemes.
Edison turned to him in 2018. The Miami Herald reported Edison had just eight total players on day one of his new job.
Edison pumped out multiple collegiate level stars before Campbell's arrival. Famed Miami Hurricane brothers Carlos and William Joseph played for the Red Raiders. Ray Ray Joseph came out of Edison too and lines up for the ‘Canes now.
Campbell has delivered multiple playoff runs since. Including last year's 7-6 mark with Payne manning left tackle.
Sanders is no stranger to tapping into Sunshine State talent to build the Buffaloes. Four-star London Merritt of IMG Academy in Bradenton dipped from Ohio State and landed with Colorado's 2025 class. Safety TJ Branch signed with CU out of Northwestern High in Miami — where Campbell once served as defensive coordinator.
Payne now handed CU six total verbal commits for the '26 class. Perhaps “Uncle Luke” will send more talent to Boulder in the future.
