Just months after retiring his two best players’ jerseys, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, Deion Sanders pulled another banger. Julian Lewis‘s path to Boulder was anything but typical. After decommitting from USC, he chose Colorado, drawn by Coach Prime’s unmatched charisma and vision. Now, he takes another big step in the right direction by paying tribute to a Buffs legend. He honors Buffs legendary QB Kordell Stewart, who is forever remembered for the “Miracle at Michigan” Hail Mary that stunned the Wolverines and cemented his place in college football lore. Now, Lewis will wear Stewart’s iconic jersey—and that’s no small feat. Wearing that number means carrying the weight of that greatness, and it looks like JuJu is already prepared for it.

Julian Lewis will wear number 10 next season, the same number Kordell Stewart made famous at Colorado in the mid-90s. Following in Stewart’s legendary footsteps—8,206 total yards and 48 touchdowns in 33 games—is a huge challenge. But Lewis isn’t just aiming to follow in Stewart’s footsteps; he aims to continue Stewart’s legacy. What makes this moment even bigger is Kordell Stewart himself tipping his hat to Julian Lewis and showing full faith in Lewis’s ability to carry the torch.

His move? The moment this news breaks, Stewart doesn’t waste a second and hits X with excitement, showing his support to the rising star. “From day one, you’ve been doing your thing. Proud of you, and keep doing what you’ve been doing, 10!! Let’s SKOOOO 💪🏾🦬💪🏾🏾.” Stewart said, sealing the moment with praise. Well, Kordell Stewart has always been a Julian Lewis fan. Remember when Lewis made his move to Colorado after decommitting from USC? It was Stewart who openly expressed his happiness and praised him. “I’m a proud man at the moment,” Stewart said. “From meeting this young man to now knowing he’s going to the best institution and playing for the best head coach in college football…”

And why wouldn’t Stewart show his trust in Julian Lewis? Even though this guy didn’t take a single snap in college, his high school record speaks volumes about his excellence. In 2023, he starred, winning the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year and being a Gatorade National Player of the Year finalist. Julian Lewis completed 186 of 280 passes (66.4%) for 3,094 yards, 48 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions, including games with 7 TDs against Harrison and 6 against East Coweta.

Now, it’s not just Kordell Stewart who beams with pride over Julian Lewis’ achievement; even his father can’t hold back his gratitude either. T.C. Lewis took to his social media and thanked Deion Sanders and the Colorado coaching staff for paving the right path for his son. “Little things like getting your number for kids goes a long way. Thankful for @DeionSanders and the staff at CU for how they’ve made Julian’s transition to college life smooth,” he said. Even Julian chimed in and added, “Blessed to be able to wear 10 at CU @KSlash10,” a fitting conclusion to his journey.

But that’s not the only thing that’s making buzz around Julian Lewis.

Julian Lewis’ QB1 status gets a push

Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes are anything but quiet this offseason. After losing Heisman contender Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, and other key players like Jimmy Horn Jr. and LaJohntay Wester, Deion Sanders is aggressively rebuilding, adding a whopping 33 transfers—17 on offense—making for one of the Big 12’s most dramatic roster overhauls. The biggest question? Who starts at quarterback? The battle between Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and freshman phenom Julian Lewis is intense.

But looks like we finally have an answer for it. As 247Sports analyst, Brien Hanley ranks Salter twelfth among Big 12 quarterbacks. But for Hanley, the story doesn’t end there. “Kaidon Salter from Colorado. Look, good year in 2023, took a step back in 2024 at Liberty, so we’ll see what happens. We heard a lot of inconsistencies in the passing game coming out of the spring,” Hanley said. Hanley’s assessment acknowledges Salter’s experience while hinting at his unpredictability.

Kaidon Salter’s breakout 2023 season saw him amass 2,876 passing yards and 32 touchdowns, along with 1,089 rushing yards and 12 more scores, highlighting his dual-threat capabilities as Liberty’s starting quarterback. However, his 2024 production dipped to 1,886 passing yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 587 rushing yards and seven rushing scores.

This decline is concerning, especially given in spring game where he completed just 11 of 19 passes for 79 yards and threw an interception, raising questions about consistency. Meanwhile, freshman Julian Lewis showed slightly better efficiency in that same game, completing 10 of 18 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, making a strong case for himself.

Then comes in a tough prediction. “I think by week six, seven, Julian Lewis is going to be the starting quarterback. They put a lot into this kid. He’s really good. He’s the future.” Hanley said. “Depending on where Colorado’s season is, I think Julian Lewis is going to be the starter by that time frame. That’s not hating on anybody… that’s just where I see Colorado’s season. I think they’re going to need a shot in the arm to be able to get going, and I think the youngster is going to be able to provide it.” While Hanley has named Kaidon Salter the starting player, he seems uncertain about the decision. And that’s what puts Julian Lewis right into the contention.

Now, let’s wait and see if that prediction actually holds any reality…