5-star QB Julian Lewis commits to play for Colorado in 2025

Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the No. 1 recruit. 2 in the 2025 ESPN 300, committed to Colorado on Thursday, securing Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes a potentially transformative prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.

Lewis announced his commitment on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday, sealing his commitment to Colorado just four days after ESPN’s No. 2 quarterback prospect decommitted from USC on November 17th. Lewis will sign with Colorado when the early signing period opens on Dec. 4. and plans to enroll early with the program in January, sources told ESPN.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to come to work and compete,” Lewis told ESPN. “Colorado didn’t recruit me until I reclassified, so it was really perfect timing. This is just the beginning. I trust Coach Prime and (offensive coordinator Pat) Shurmur to help me become the player I want to be.”

The commitment from the coveted quarterback from Carrollton, Ga., marks a monumental recruiting win for Colorado and assures the Buffaloes a promising quarterback in the final weeks of Sanders’ second season leading the program.

Colorado emerged as an immediate front-runner for Lewis’ pledge Sunday after the 6-foot-1 passer pulled his longtime pledge to USC and became the nation’s top uncommitted prospect in the final weeks of the 2025 cycle. Lewis had been closely linked with the Buffaloes since his official visit to the program in June, and the mutual interest continued through the fall, until Lewis’ return trip to Colorado for its 34-23 win over Cincinnati on Oct. 26.

Georgia, which hosted Lewis for an unofficial visit Nov. 16, stood as another contender. Indiana also remained involved in Lewis’ recruitment after his official visit with the Hoosiers in May.

With Colorado quarterback Shadeur Sanders — Deion’s son — headed to the NFL after this season, Lewis will land on campus in 2025 with a clear path toward early playing time with the Buffaloes. And combined with Colorado’s success on the field this fall, Lewis’ pledge may just be the first domino in a late-cycle recruiting surge as the program continues to target a handful of elite prospects in the final days before the early signing period, including top-100 recruits London Merritt (Ohio State commit), Michael Carroll (Alabama) and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (uncommitted). As things stand, Lewis is the top-ranked member of a 2025 Buffaloes class that includes 10 other 2025 commits, all outside the ESPN 300.

Lewis was the top prospect in the 2026 class when he originally committed to USC on August 22, 2023. He later reclassified to the 2025 cycle earlier this year and remained the cornerstone of the Trojans’ ninth-ranked recruiting class until his release. Shortly after Lewis pulled his pledge, USC secured a commitment from four-star quarterback Husan Longstreet, a former Texas A&M pledge and ESPN’s No. 4 pocket passes in the 2025 class.

After a 4-8 finish last season, Sanders has Colorado tied atop the Big 12 standings at 8-2 with two games remaining in the regular season. And in Lewis, Sanders has his latest recruiting gift.

Lewis represents Sanders’ highest-ranked pledge since flipping Travis Hunter from Florida State to Jackson State as the No. 2 overall prospect in the class of 2022. Lewis now follows offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and cornerback Cormani McClain as the highest-rated of the three five-star prospects who have committed to Colorado since Sanders took over the program in late 2022. When he signs next month, Lewis will mark the Buffaloes’ highest-rated addition since Colorado landed running back Darrell Scott at No. 9 overall view in the 2008 class.

The Buffaloes climbed to No. 16 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings. Colorado visits Kansas on Saturday and can clinch a spot in the Dec. 7 Big 12 Championship Game with a fifth straight win and losses to Iowa State and Arizona State.