Following the departure of his son, Shedeur Sanders, to the NFL, Colorado HC Deion Sanders quickly moved to find a replacement at quarterback for the Buffaloes. The team signed five-star Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis as part of their 2025 class and added veteran Kaidon Salter via the transfer portal from Liberty.
The two competed throughout camp, and while Salter was named the starter, Lewis is already on an award watchlist heading into his first season in Boulder.
Despite Losing Quarterback Battle, Julian Lewis Earns Freshman Honor
Salter and Lewis battled throughout camp for the Buffaloes’ starting quarterback job, and it came down to the wire. However, Sanders eventually decided to go with Salter, given his experience at the college level.
While Lewis wasn’t named the starter, Sanders noted that he hopes to play the young quarterback during Colorado’s season opener against Georgia Tech. On3 college football insider Pete Nakos added that he believes Lewis will see action in games for the Buffaloes throughout the season.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has announced that Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter will start at QB against Georgia Tech.
Hope is Julian Lewis will also get some playing time. https://t.co/0DcXOQ2OfS pic.twitter.com/5ZlxNJabbT
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) August 26, 2025
Despite not being the starting quarterback, the former five-star recruit could still be one of the most impactful freshmen in the country. Many seem to agree, as Lewis was announced as a member of the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watchlist, an honor given to the nation’s most outstanding freshman since 2018.
Lewis is one of 37 players on the watchlist and one of just five quarterbacks. It’s an impressive group to join, and given the young quarterback’s talent and high school résumé, it’s no surprise he earned a spot.
Rivals ranked Lewis as the No. 56 player in the 2025 class and the No. 7 quarterback. He was an elite talent at Carrollton High School in Carrollton, Georgia, throwing for over 11,000 yards and 144 touchdowns in his career.
With a 49-13 victory over Valdosta, new #CUBuffs QB commit Julian “JuJu” Lewis and his Carrollton (Ga.) High teammates have advanced to the quarterfinals of the GHSA 6A playoffs. Lewis threw for 4 TDs, earning him game MVP honors, on Friday night.pic.twitter.com/pqB7k89Bew
— Adam Munsterteiger (@adamcm777) November 23, 2024
He also earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors twice, becoming only the second player to do so alongside current Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence.
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Lewis will need to perform very well in 2025 to win the Shaun Alexander Award, joining a prestigious list that includes college football legends like Trevor Lawrence, Kenneth Gainwell Jr., Will Anderson, Brock Bowers, Drake Maye, Caleb Downs, and last year’s winner, Texas’ Collin Simmons.
Even if he doesn’t win the award, being named to the preseason watchlist highlights the buzz surrounding the Buffaloes’ signal-caller as he heads into his freshman season at just 17 years old.
Colorado and Lewis kick off the 2025 season on Friday, August 29, hosting Georgia Tech at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, at 8:00 p.m. ET, with coverage on ESPN.
