In arguably the most important shift with the 2025 recruiting class, five-star quarterback Julian Lewis has dedicated to the Colorado Buffaloes, he introduced on The Pat McAfee Present Thursday.
Lewis, rated the No. 2 participant within the 2025 class by ESPN, had lengthy been dedicated to the USC Trojans, having verbally pledged to move coach Lincoln Riley’s staff in August of 2023.
Nonetheless, because the summer season got here alongside, a string of curiosity from high applications started to actually materialize, with Lewis taking official visits with the Trojans, Buffaloes, Indiana Hoosiers and Auburn Tigers, whom had been all looking for an elite quarterback within the 2025 class.
The Georgia Bulldogs additionally had curiosity within the in-state recruit, with Lewis heading out to Athens for a recreation this previous weekend. Nonetheless, on the finish of the day, the thrill with the Buffaloes was an excessive amount of to cross up on for the Carrolton, Georgia native, as Lewis is heading to Boulder in one of many greatest recruiting swings of the 2025 class.
How did we get up to now and what does this transfer imply for the applications concerned?
Lewis’s recruitment
As talked about above, Lewis was an early decide to USC, having pledged there again on August 22, 2023, to function the following massive quarterback for head coach Lincoln Riley.
The transfer made sense for each events, as Lewis was going to be the following five-star recruit in Riley’s two-year cycle, following former USC quarterback Malachi Nelson, who was the No. 1 recruit within the Class of 2023.
After all, that plan didn’t totally materialize for the Trojans, as Nelson transferred after his freshman yr, main USC to land Jayden Maiava within the switch portal and go together with him and Miller Moss as the highest choices for the 2024 season.
Nonetheless, Riley prioritized a high signal-caller within the Class of 2025 to function the inheritor obvious in USC’s quarterback chain, following No. 1 choose Caleb Williams, who left for the NFL Draft after final season.
Lewis shortly emerged as that candidate, re-classifying from the Class of 2026 and forgoing his senior season to enter school one yr early and get a faster likelihood to compete on the subsequent stage.
Initially, a number of blue-blood colleges had been concerned for the five-star; USC, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Ohio State, Texas A&M and LSU comprising of his high eight colleges previous to the early dedication.
Lewis finally picked the Trojans, however it was clear that there was nonetheless work to be performed to actually land the five-star quarterback, because the Georgia native was nonetheless visiting different colleges on recreation day visits.
Colorado started to enter the image firstly of the yr, getting Lewis down for a Junior Day go to, the place the curiosity really began to construct between the 2 sides.
The Buffaloes had a transparent opening at their quarterback spot, as starter Shedeur Sanders is predicted to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, the place he’s at present projected as a top-10 choose.
That relationship continued to develop via the summer season, with Lewis taking an official go to to Boulder earlier than returning to campus this fall for an additional recreation day go to.
Finally, the need to play early and the intrigue that Colorado supplied with its high-octane offense was an excessive amount of to cross up, prompting Lewis to de-commit from USC on Sunday and decide to Colorado on Thursday.
The playing cards cleared up earlier than his de-commitment, as USC moved to flip five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet from Texas A&M, securing their quarterback of the cycle because the Buffaloes shored up their place as nicely.
“It was massive for me simply coming in after Shedeur [Sanders] simply seeing what he’s performed to Colorado and what he’s turned it into,” Lewis stated upon committing to Colorado. “It’s undoubtedly a blessing getting put on this place after him and together with his dad, I couldn’t beat it.
“Coach Prime’s at all times stated the most effective man’s going to play and that’s actually what I wished was to have the ability to are available and compete to start out as a freshman. I wouldn’t have a lot enjoyable sitting on the bench so I wish to are available with someplace I can get an opportunity to play, so he’s going to let me compete for that and that was massive for me.”
After all, Lewis must earn his spot as a freshman, which isn’t a assure, as seen with former five-star Cormani McClain, a former high recruit who ended up leaving Colorado after one season. Nonetheless, the quarterback place has the within monitor to incomes his spot early in Boulder, and will observe Sanders’s footsteps.
What’s subsequent?
It’s clear that Shedeur Sanders is predicted to depart after this season, however there have been questions on head coach Deion Sanders and whether or not he’d entertain an NFL head teaching alternative if one arises this offseason.
Sanders has repeatedly denied that, which is smart as he appears greatest match to be a frontrunner of a faculty program. Touchdown a five-star recruit with Lewis’ star energy solely furthers the concept the top coach will stay in Boulder previous this season, so let’s have a look at what might be subsequent for the Buffaloes.
Like they’ve performed lately, Colorado is seeking to make some noise within the 2025 cycle late, with the early signing interval approaching December 4th.
They at present have 11 commits of their 2025 class, with Lewis main the best way because the lone five-star, whereas there are a number of four-star recruits within the group as nicely.
However, Colorado remains to be actively recruiting quite a lot of high-profile gamers. Among the many high of the group is five-star linebacker Nathanial Owusu-Boateng, who stays one of many highest uncommitted recruits within the 2025 class. He was on campus final week, as was four-star defensive finish London Merritt, who’s at present dedicated to Ohio State.
Moreover, the highest-profile recruit remaining for the Buffaloes is five-star Alabama offensive lineman Michael Carroll, who lately visited Colorado, with all three recruits hailing from IMG Academy.
With the switch portal seemingly being a supply of expertise but once more, the Buffaloes might be in for an enormous 2025 offseason, as they’re seeking to construct a robust recruiting class late to shore up the remainder of their roster.
General, the addition of Lewis ought to assist Colorado of their pursuits of some high recruits, with lower than two weeks left until the early signing interval.
