5-star QB Lewis commits to Coach Prime, Buffs

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

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

"I'm excited for the opportunity to get to work and compete," Lewis told ESPN. "Colorado wasn't recruiting me until I reclassed, so it really was perfect timing. This is only the beginning. I trust Coach Prime and [offensive coordinator Pat] Shurmur to help me become the player that I want to be."

The commitment of the coveted quarterback from Carrollton, Georgia, marks a monumental recruiting victory for Colorado and secures the Buffaloes a promising quarterback for the future in the final weeks of Sanders' second season leading the program.

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

Georgia, which hosted Lewis for an unofficial visit on Nov. 16, stood as another contender for his pledge. Indiana also remained involved in Lewis' recruitment this fall following his official visit to the Hoosiers in May.

With Colorado's star quarterback Shadeur Sanders -- Deion's son -- bound for the NFL after this season, Lewis will land on campus in 2025 with a clear path toward early playing time with the Buffaloes. And coupled with Colorado's on-field success this fall, Lewis' pledge could be just 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 pledge), 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 from outside the ESPN 300.

Lewis was the top prospect in the Class of 2026 when he initially committed to USC on Aug. 22, 2023. He later reclassified into the 2025 cycle earlier this year and remained the cornerstone of the Trojans' ninth-ranked recruiting class up to his decommitment. 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 passer in the 2025 class.

After a 4-8 finish last fall, 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 boon.

Lewis represents Sanders' highest-ranked pledge since he flipped 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-ranked addition since Colorado landed running back Darrell Scott as the No. 9 overall prospect 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 place in the Dec. 7 Big 12 Championship Game with a fifth straight win and losses from Iowa State and Arizona State.