Deion Sanders rages at Colorado players as NFL scouts watch on intently

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders lashed out at several of his players, accusing them of "loafing" as scouts from NFL teams watched on.

Numerous scouts from the pro ranks were at the Buffaloes' practice session on Tuesday as the start of the college football season nears, and "Coach Prime" was not at all impressed by the effort levels he saw from some of his players, summoning them into a huddle and issuing a blunt warning.

"For all you guys claiming you want to go pro, there's at least six scouts here and you're loafing," Sanders said in a video uploaded to the Well Off Media YouTube channel. "There's at least six scouts here. What they saying about you right now? They watching every darn thing you do."

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In the same video, he also warned his players not to become a "cancer" in the locker room, emphasizing the importance of the team's culture and that it must hold up when they are "squeezed".

Sanders has not been afraid to unload on his players since taking charge in Boulder ahead of last season. He has galvanized the program and made the Buffs must-see viewing each week, taking center stage with his charismatic leadership style.

And although his approach often focuses on pumping players up and boosting their confidence, he is no stranger to being brutally honest with his charges and spitting a few home truths to light a fire under them.

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A 3-0 start to last season inspired hopes the team could emerge as an unlikely championship contender, but reality soon caught up with Colorado, who slumped to 4-8 on the season – a dismal stretch underpinned by poor play in the trenches.

But as promised, NFL Hall of Famer Sanders was aggressive in recruiting and in the transfer portal to make a series of upgrades across the roster, particularly on the offensive line in the hope of buying more time in the pocket for Sanders' son and superstar quarterback prospect Shedeur.

Colorado has moved to the Big 12 conference after the collapse of the Pac-12 and begins its campaign against FCS program North Dakota State on Aug. 29. Rivalry games against Nebraska and Colorado State follow in quick succession.

Sanders was bullish about his team's chances at the Big 12 Media media day last month, telling reporters: "I know I'm a winner. Whatever I display, however I go about my job, my work, my business, my personal life, it's that of a winner. That's all I know. I don't know anything else but due time and due process.

"We're going to reach that goal because we're going to get there, because I know I'm going to get there – and I'm not going by myself."