Coach Prime just landed his biggest hire yet, receiving a verbal commitment Thursday from prep quarterback Julian Lewis, ESPN’s No. 2 recruit in the 2025 class.

Lewis, a five-star QB from Carrollton, Ga., is one of the top quarterback prospects in his age group. and gives the CU Buffs a clear successor to Shedeur Sanders.

The Georgia teenager made his last official visit to CU’s campus in June. He now becomes Deion Sanders’ biggest prep hire since the iconic former NFL star took over as CU football coach in December 2022, potentially joining a roster that already includes tackle Jordan Seaton, the nation’s No. 1 offensive line recruit for the class of 2024.

The Georgia native announced his engagement on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday morning.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to get to work and compete,” Lewis told McAfee. “CU wasn’t recruiting me until after I reclassified, so it was definitely 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.

Lewis, nicknamed “Ju Ju,” represents a monumental commitment for Sanders and CU on multiple fronts.

On one hand, it gives the Buffs a star-quality starting quarterback after 2024, which is expected to be Shedeur Sanders’ final year in Boulder, and beyond.

The 6-foot Lewis threw 96 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his final two prep seasons at Georgia and was 11-2 as a starter in 2023.

He was rated by ESPN 300 as a five-star prospect and ranked like a four star, get by the 247Sports.com composite.

If Lewis signs with CU, he would become the highest-rated prep QB to land with the Buffs, according to the 247Sports.com database, since Fairview’s Craig Ochs in 2000. The site rated Ochs as a four-star prospect.

On the other hand, it lowers the temperature of concerns and speculation that Coach Prime, whose contract runs until December 31, 2027, would leave the Buffs after his main stars – Shedeur, his son Shilo, threaten him in both meaning Travis Hunter — would likely leave the program. following this fall’s campaign.

Lewis committed to the USC Trojans, CU’s former Pac-12 rival, in August 2023, before decommitting last weekend. He had made USC and Lincoln Riley one of his four official visits over the past four weeks, along with Indiana (May 31), Auburn (June 14) and CU (June 21).

Sanders’ 2025 recruiting class had just three members as of Saturday, the fewest in the Big 12. Lewis’ move from USC to CU won’t just change the narrative with Coach Prime and future high school recruits this autumn. This has the potential to change Buffs football, as well as CU’s expectations outside the program, for years to come.

Originally published: November 21, 2024 at 10:52 a.m. MST