Colorado added a commitment from four-star quarterback Julian Lewis, one of the top available signal-callers in the Class of 2025. Lewis committed to coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes over Indiana and Georgia just days after backing off of his longtime commitment to USC.
Lewis's commitment is a game-changing moment for Colorado and helps transition the Buffaloes into the future of the program after Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter leave for the NFL. Lewis is the first blue-chip quarterback that Colorado has landed in the modern recruiting era. Lewis, a senior out of Carrollton, Georgia, is ranked the No. 115 overall player and No. 9 quarterback in the Top247 ratings.
While Colorado still ranks in the 60s of the high school recruiting rankings, their average recruit rating moves up to No. 22 in the nation and best in the Big 12 with 11 commits.
"A de facto point guard on the gridiron that can distribute the football like few others," 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins wrote of Lewis. "Won't blow many away with his build but makes up for his subpar measurables with his ability to scan the field and manipulate defenses with his eyes ... tailor made for a modern spread attack that wants to push the pace and constantly challenge defenses."
Lewis is one of the youngest elite quarterbacks in the Class of 2025 after reclassifying up a year, but he still fought his way to being an Elite 11 finalist. He earned MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors in 2022 and threw for more than 7,000 yards and 96 touchdowns in his first two years under center for Carrollton, which plays in Georgia's top classification.
Long term, Lewis is tasked with replacing potential first-round NFL Draft pick Shedeur Sanders at quarterback. The Buffaloes boast the nation's No. 2 national passing offense and are on track to reach a conference championship game for the first time since 2016.
Deion's new superfriends
When Sanders came to Colorado in 2023, he brought his sons with him. In addition to star quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo Sanders, he also has referred to former No. 1 recruit Travis Hunter as his son. With all three expected to leave the program after the 2024 season, Lewis helps kick off a new era with a new leading cast.
Lewis joins former No. 1 tackle Jordan Seaton and former top-100 recruit wide receiver Drelon Miller as the new faces of the program heading into Phase 2 of Sanders' tenure at Colorado. With Lewis's commitment, more top recruits could soon be on the way. Sanders has long been one of the more unpredictable figures in football; however, pulling together another stacked class of leaders helps table set the future of Colorado football.
MORE: Deion Sanders defied the odds in 2024; can he surprise us again this offseason?
Will Lewis start immediately?
Shedeur Sanders rates among the top quarterbacks in the nation and has started nearly every game that Deion Sanders has coached since 2021. Without Shedeur, the quarterback situation is an open question. The Buffaloes added Kentucky transfer Destin Wade and Vanderbilt's Walter Taylor III over the offseason, but neither has recorded a pass this season. Incumbent backup Ryan Staub took the second-string snaps and started against Utah in 2023.
While Lewis is a talented prospect, the jump to starting at the power conference level as a true freshman would be a major transition.
"He's one of the most polished and battle-tested QB prospects in this class, but expecting him to be the Day 1 successor to Shedeur Sanders might be a stretch," 247Sports analyst Cooper Petagna said. "As a reclassification, he'll still be 17 in his first month of college football. We've seen highly-touted QBs like Dante Moore, Jackson Arnold, Jaden Rashada, and even Dylan Raiola face early struggles. A bridge-gap QB could provide the best solution, much like Florida's approach with Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway. His play should be situational, not a necessity from the start."
While it might benefit Lewis to start slow, Sanders has never shied away from throwing players into the fire. Seaton started at left tackle from Day 1 and allowed two sacks in his second game against Nebraska. Since then, he's only allowed one sack the rest of the season. In 2023, Sanders also leaned heavily on running back Dylan Edwards in his first career game. Miller contributed as a freshman.
Lewis has a tougher road as a quarterback, but don't count anything out.