Julian Lewis is the rare quarterback prospect who can change the narrative surrounding Colorado football.
The Georgia high school football star reclassified as a 2026 recruit and is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2025 by both ESPN and Rivals. Over the past two seasons at Carrollton High School (as a freshman and sophomore), he completed about 66 percent of his passes for a total of 7,212 yards and 96 touchdowns. In 2023, he threw for 48 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
It's no wonder Lewis is considered one of the brightest young stars in the sport and has offers from some of the top college football teams, including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Oregon.
Lewis committed to USC in August, but that doesn't mean his recruitment has stopped. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound quarterback is scheduled to take official visits to Indiana (May 31), USC (June 7) and Auburn (June 14) this summer before finalizing his selection at Colorado (June 21).
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes getting one final official visit from Lewis may not be a big deal, and it could just be one of many signs that Lewis is changing his mind about committing to Colorado from USC.
“I think Colorado has a good chance of acquiring Julian Lewis,” On3 national scouting analyst Phillip Dukes told The Coloradoan. “I'm not going to be as bold as I'd like to predict, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he ends up at Colorado Buffalo.”
Why Colorado is the perfect fit for Julian Lewis
Lewis' affinity for Colorado is no secret: His June 21 visit will mark his third time in Boulder, and he's been spotted training multiple times recently, carrying a Buffaloes towel.
But why would a potential QB of a generation seriously consider a program like Colorado, which hasn't played in a bowl game since 2020? Because Sanders and the Buffaloes can offer experience that other programs can't.
Lewis will have the opportunity to play immediately next fall as the replacement for projected first-round pick Shedul Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. Not only that, Lewis will also be in a great position to continue to grow his own personal brand thanks to the spotlight that Deion Sanders brings.
The 16-year-old already has 134,000 followers on Instagram and a NIL valuation of $1 million, making him the top-paid high school football player.
Who has the highest NIL value of any college football player? The answer is Shedul Sanders ($4.6 million).
“When you look at these schools (Auburn, Indiana, USC), outside of USC, there's no one that stands out as a quarterback and a lot of people just say, 'Well, I don't think JuJu is going to USC,'” Dukes said. “When you look at Auburn, they have the NIL bag, it's close to home and he can play in the SEC, but does Auburn deserve the celebrity of Julian Lewis?
“There are only two schools that are worthy of this type of celebrity: University of Southern California, where they had a celebrity like Caleb Williams, and University of Colorado, where they had a celebrity like Shedur. I think University of Colorado has a pretty good chance of winning. I can't give you the odds, but I think they're pretty realistic.”
Deion Sanders and TC Lewis have a “great relationship”
Family is a common theme on Colorado's football team: There are six sets of siblings on the team and Deion Sanders coaches his two sons daily.
For a young man like Lewis, who will likely move across the country to play college football (either at Colorado or USC), a family atmosphere would be a big help. Luckily for Buffaloes fans, Lewis already appears to have a strong connection with Deion Sanders.
“Thank you for always looking out for what's best for me,” Lewis wrote on X, along with a photo of his father, TC, and Deion Sanders.
There's a human element to hiring that is often forgotten.
Parents want to have complete trust in the coaching staff that will be entrusted with their child's development on and off the field, and if TC feels that Deion Sanders is an extension of his guidance as a parent, that may influence Julien's decision.
“The father-son relationship between Deion Sanders and his son, Shedur, is very similar to the relationship between TC Lewis and Julian,” Dukes said. “TC has been in his life his whole life and has basically raised Julian for this moment, just like Deion basically raised Shedur.”
“Julian's father and Dion have a great relationship and, from what I understand, they talk about things other than football. I've been following their family for a while and I speak to TC a lot.”
Colorado's potential trump card
It takes a team effort to recruit high-profile talent like Julian, and over the weekend of June 21st they’ll all be working together, with Mantres Walker joining them alongside some old friends.
Walker committed to Colorado, choosing Buffalo over Miami, Ole Miss and Penn State, among others, on April 27 before the 2024 spring game. Walker, a linebacker in the Class of 2025, could be the reason Julian transfers to Colorado.
“I've known JuJu (Lewis) since we were little kids,” Walker told The Coloradoan. “We played on the same Little League team. He and I have always been good friends.”
more:Colorado football's Mantrez Walker could play key role in acquiring QB Julian Lewis
Julian's commitment to join Walker, four-star cornerback Alex Graham and three-star tight end Corbin Leijua will give Colorado a strong base for its 2025 recruiting class.
Both Walker and Leisha are scheduled to visit Boulder on June 21 to make their final pitch to Julian. Walker will tout the fact that he and Julian can both bring a bit of Georgia glamour to Colorado.
“I definitely feel like high school football in the state of Georgia is different. Our football is the best,” Walker said. “We have kids on our team who are well coached, have a dog mentality, have all the physical traits you need and play against the best competition. There are different regions in Georgia and everyone in every region is like that.”
“It's one of the best competitive environments.”
Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Proctor X.
