Julian "Juju" Lewis is ready.
The Colorado Buffaloes' 17-year old freshman quarterback has a huge task on his hands, but he's been preparing for this for most of his football life.
Lewis may not even be the starter in the Colorado opener, but he'll get the ball soon enough. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter may get the first crack at replacing Shedeur Sanders, but the long-term answer will be Lewis and his multiple years of college eligibility before NFL dreams.
ESPN certainly believes in Lewis. The national outlet ranked him No. 9 on their "top freshmen" list entering the 2025 college football season.
Here's how they laid out the case for Lewis:
"When his time comes, Lewis won't be intimidated by the bright lights. He has been on the national radar since eighth grade and left high school with over 10,000 passing yards in just three seasons. When does that time come? He'll likely start the season behind Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, but the 17-year-old freshman will gain ground as the season, and his grasp of the offense, progresses. He's physical with smooth mechanics and great accuracy. The ball comes out quickly and on time, and he's rarely rattled. Though the offensive line looks much improved, Colorado still has a history of giving up sacks and big hits on the quarterback, making Lewis one snap from leading the Buffs' offense in 2025."
Colorado didn't just lose Sanders, of course. The offense also lost its top-three pass catchers from a year ago.
Head coach Deion Sanders has reloaded with 30-plus transfers, but he still managed to land the major commitment from Lewis.
Now it's just a matter of when Colorado decides to hand Lewis the ball. Every indication is that he'll be prepared for his opportunity, and because of the brand Deion has built for the Buffaloes, there'll be plenty of spotlight on the young QB when it's his turn.
Don't expect Lewis to miss the moment, because this is what he's built for.
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