Colorado gets big win thanks to commitment of five-star QB Julian Lewis

Colorado coach Deion Sanders delivered another stunning five-star performance.

Five Star Defender Julian Lewiswho had been committed to USC since August 2023 but reneged on his commitment in recent days, committed to Buffalo after multiple visits to Boulder and a slew of impressive recruiting efforts from Sanders, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and others.

Ranked as the sixth-best player and third-best defensive tackle in the 2025 class — after reclassifying from the 2026 class — Lewis trails only Ohio State’s Tavien St. Clair and LSU prospect Bryce Underwood at the position.

Thanks to his commitment to Buffalo, the Big 12 team that transformed itself into a College Football Playoff contender in just Sanders’ second season now has a natural progression at the all-important quarterback position from Sheader Sanders to Carrollton, Georgia. five star.

Lewis was in Georgia last weekend, but after the Bulldogs took four-star Ryan Montgomery in the spring, the gap between the five-star and the in-state power never widened again throughout his recruitment.

Indiana has had an interesting series and the Hoosiers have looked really interesting in a lot of ways this fall as they have been the shocking team in college football this season, plus Lewis has a long relationship with coach Tino Sunseri dating back to his time at Florida State. but it never materialized into a commitment.

There was a lot of talk about Lewis staying at USC, but there seemed to be some agreement in recent days that the Trojans weren’t surprised by the five-star player’s decision to opt out.

USC position coach Luke Huard attended Centennial’s playoff game in Corona (Calif.) on Friday night, a win over Mission Viejo, Calif., for then-Texas A&M four-star Jusan Longstreet, who visited USC for the game Saturday and then by the end of the weekend he switched to the Trojans.

Lewis’s flirtation with Colorado was long-standing and consistent.

The five-star has made multiple trips to Boulder, has gotten to know and appreciate Sanders and how he runs this program, and especially has a strong connection with Shurmur. There is a high level of respect for Shurmur’s integrity in the NFL and his playing calling this season with Buffalo, which greatly influenced this decision.

Also offered was what was described as a very comprehensive and competitive NIL package to transfer Lewis to Boulder, another important factor in today’s recruiting landscape.

And the Buffaloes may not be done with five-star and other elite prospects.

Five-star midfielder Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and five-star attacking player Michael Carroll have both visited the club in recent days and the results have been excellent.

Four-star guard London Merritt, who committed to Ohio State in late March, will make another trip to Columbus and said he will then make a decision between the two programs. Four-star OL Card Smith decommitted to USC on Wednesday, and Colorado could be the frontrunner.

And Lewis’ commitment could spark renewed interest from elite players across the country now that the five-star guard’s decision is now public.