Naples-born Colorado football recruit explains how Coach Prime chose him

Colorado football CB commit Ben Bouzi waxed poetic about his journey and mental when asked by Coach Prime why the Naples product should receive a scholarship opportunity to play for Deion Sanders' Buffs.

And wouldn't you know it -- Bouzi's metaphor resonated with the Fort Myers native, convincing the Colorado head man to offer the six-foot-one corner a spot on a CU squad that has some of the most talented players in the secondary of any program in the country.

Bouzi recalled the conversation with The Coloradoan's Scott Procter.

"I told him (Sanders) I've been going up this hill and I'm headed to the top of it, but right as I reach the top, I run into the side of it and go right back down," Bouzi said. "I'll go back up again, doing so good, and go right back down.

"He's like, 'I'm glad you said that because sometimes we just need that extra little push for us to get over that hill.' He said 'this is why I'm here.' In his words, he's like 'I pick one kid from the city, the 239, Naples, Florida or Fort Meyers area, and you're my one kid.'"

Colorado football CB commit Ben Bouzi on how Coach Prime can influence his character

Bouzi spoke to the impact Coach Prime can have not just on his skillset, but more importantly, his character. The Naples star has been in legal trouble over the past year for a misdemeanor battery charge (that's been dropped) and admitted he is working on himself; being open to the chance Deion Sanders' words can change his trajectory.

"The little things he (Sanders) might tell me could change my game a lot but not only that, the biggest thing he loves is character and I feel like that's the biggest thing I've been trying to work on since everything happened," Bouzi said. "I've been trying to work on my character, just the way I speak, the proper things and the little things in my life."

Bouzi is a work in progress, but Sanders wants to see the progress. That should bode well for this union moving forward.