5-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the No. 2 recruit within the 2025 ESPN 300, dedicated to Colorado on Thursday, securing Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes a doubtlessly transformational prospect within the 2025 recruiting class.
Lewis introduced his dedication on “The Pat McAfee Present” Thursday, sealing his pledge to Colorado simply 4 days after ESPN’s No. 2 quarterback prospect decommitted from USC on Sunday. Lewis will signal with Colorado when the early signing interval opens Dec. 4 and plans to enroll early with this system in January, sources instructed ESPN.
“I am excited for the chance to get to work and compete,” Lewis instructed ESPN. “Colorado wasn’t recruiting me till I reclassed, so it actually was excellent timing. That is solely the start. I belief Coach Prime and [offensive coordinator Pat] Shurmur to assist me grow to be the participant that I need to be.”
The dedication of the coveted quarterback from Carrollton, Georgia, marks a monumental recruiting victory for Colorado and secures the Buffaloes a promising quarterback the ultimate weeks of Sanders’ second season as coach.
Colorado emerged as an instantaneous front-runner for Lewis on Sunday after the 6-foot-1 passer pulled his long-standing pledge to USC and have become the nation’s prime uncommitted prospect within the closing weeks of the 2025 cycle. Lewis had been linked carefully with the Buffaloes since his official go to to this system in June, and mutual curiosity continued by way of the autumn to Lewis’ return journey to Colorado for its 34-23 win over Cincinnati on Oct. 26.
Georgia, which hosted Lewis for an unofficial go to Nov. 16, stood as one other contender. Indiana additionally remained concerned in Lewis’ recruitment following his official go to in Could.
With Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders — Deion’s son — certain for the NFL after this season, Lewis will land on campus in 2025 with a transparent path towards early enjoying time with the Buffaloes. And matched with Colorado’s on-field success this fall, Lewis’ pledge may very well be simply the primary domino in a late-cycle recruiting surge as this system continues to focus on a handful of elite prospects within the closing days earlier than the early signing interval, together with top-100 recruits London Merritt (Ohio State pledge), Michael Carroll (Alabama) and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (uncommitted). As issues stand, Lewis is the top-ranked member of a 2025 Buffaloes class that features 10 different 2025 commits, all from exterior the ESPN 300.
Lewis was the highest prospect within the Class of 2026 when he initially dedicated to USC on Aug. 22, 2023. He later reclassified into the 2025 cycle earlier this yr and remained the cornerstone of the Trojans’ ninth-ranked recruiting class as much as his decommitment. Shortly after Lewis pulled his pledge, USC secured a dedication from four-star quarterback Husan Longstreet, a former Texas A&M pledge and ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passer within the 2025 class.
After a 4-8 end final season, Sanders has Colorado tied atop the Massive 12 standings at 8-2 with two video games remaining within the common season. And in Lewis, Sanders has his newest recruiting boon.
Lewis represents Sanders’ highest-ranked pledge since he flipped Travis Hunter from Florida State to Jackson State because the No. 2 total prospect within the Class of 2022. Lewis now follows offensive sort out Jordan Seaton and cornerback Cormani McClain because the highest-rated of the three five-star prospects who’ve dedicated to Colorado since Sanders took over in late 2022. When he indicators subsequent month, Lewis will mark the Buffaloes’ highest-ranked addition since Colorado landed working again Darrell Scott because the No. 9 total prospect within the 2008 class.
The Buffaloes climbed to No. 16 on this week’s School Soccer Playoff rankings. Colorado visits Kansas on Saturday and might clinch a spot within the Dec. 7 Massive 12 championship sport with a fifth straight win and losses from Iowa State and Arizona State.