Deion Sanders hopes of executing his perfect Colorado quarterback succession plan have taken a step forward after five-star prospect Julian Ju Ju Lewis decommitted from USC.
The Georgia native, who plays for Carrollton High School, is the No. 2 prospect in the ESPN 300 rankings of the 2025 recruiting class, behind only LSU commit Bryce Underwood. Colorado has been working hard to flip Lewis as the program looks to the future without Sanders son, Shedeur, at quarterback.
Shedeur would be a genuine contender for the Heisman Trophy were it not for teammate Travis Hunters excellence. The senior has steered the No. 16 Buffs to an 8-2 record, putting them in the frame for the Big 12 championship and the College Football Playoff.
But the 22-year-old a projected top-five pick in Aprils NFL Draft has only a handful of games remaining in a Buffs jersey, and his father needs a succession plan if the team is to continue progressing.
Lewis cemented his status as one of the top players in his class last year with a remarkable 48-touchdown and two-interception junior season for the Carrollton Trojans. He would be a statement acquisition for a Colorado program that has been transformed since Sanders took charge 18 months ago.
Colorado hosted Lewis for a visit in June, but he had already verbally pledged his commitment to USC in August 2023. That has not stopped teams across the country from attempting to flip him, though, with the Buffs, Indiana, and Auburn among interested teams. Georgia has also kept a close eye on one of its top in-state prospects.
Colorados efforts to flip Carrollton High School star Ju Ju Lewis after he retracted his commitment to USC (
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Lewis was back in Boulder for a second visit last month, being hosted by team officials for the victory over Cincinnati, and Colorados hopes of landing the prospect have received a fresh boost with ESPN reporting the player has retracted his commitment to USC.
He has become the top uncommitted player in the 2025 class and the race is on to secure his services. Lewis is expected to decide his future in the coming weeks as he wants to enroll early. The signing period begins on Dec. 4.
The work is not done for Sanders, though. He has shown his excellence as a recruiter throughout his coaching career, landing top prospects out of both high school and the transfer portal.
But the Hall of Famer is set to go head to head with the behemoth that is Georgia to land Lewis. The player was in Athens on Saturday for an unofficial visit, taking in the Bulldogs 31-17 win over Tennessee, and the allure of staying in his home state is sure to be an appealing proposition for Lewis.
Colorado has four backup quarterbacks on the roster. Sophomore Ryan Staub, a three-star prospect coming out of high school, is second on the depth chart and started one game last season due to injury to Shedeur.
Transfers Dominiq Ponder, Destin Wade and Walter Taylor III are also options for the program to consider heading into 2025, but none of them have the kind of pedigree that Lewis possesses.
It seems the Buffs have the upper hand according to insiders, though. Recruiting site 247Sports has three crystal ball predictions for Lewis to land with the Buffaloes, including one from lead expert Tom Loy.