As long as Shedeur Sanders was there in the Colorado Buffaloes, controversy followed him like a shadow. Deion Sanders’ son became the most sacked player in college football history in 2023. However, it took the quarterback one season to whitewash his image. Did the negative attacks get toned down? No way. When critics failed to point their fingers at Deion’s son’s gridiron action, they took refuge in his off-the-field conduct. And out of it, they condemned Shedeur heavily for his watch flex move.

Back on February 22, NFL Rookie Watch posted, “One anonymous NFL GM reportedly believes there’s “red flags” to Shedeur’s personality between his fiery attitude and the watch flexing.” Last year in August, the former Buffs quarterback went viral for his $350,000 watch flex. While his successor, Julian “JuJu” Lewis, got an idea of how Shedeur became the hate magnet, he did not inch back from taking his predecessors’ path.   

That’s because Lewis has already made a promise that he has yet to fulfill. Last December, the Carrollton star posted a picture of the Buffs’ locker room. The picture featured two jerseys hanging side by side. No brownie points for guessing the jersey numbers. Shedeur’s No.2 jersey and Lewis’ No.10 jersey. Lewis mindfully crafted the caption that would make anybody emotional. “You left huge shoes to fill, but I promise to work to leave @CUBuffsFootball even better than I found it. Forever grateful 🙏🏽.” While chaos prevails in Boulder over the starter’s role and Lewis is fighting for his spot against Kaidon Salter, the 17-year-old is found in an easy-breezy mood. On July 9, the Colorado Football official IG page, posted a picture of Lewis. The caption read, “what time is it?⌚️”

The pictures are from Lewis’ recent appearance at the Big 12 Media Days. Lewis rolled into the event with all the attitude and gear to match. Reports and viral clips showed him flexing a high-end watch and striking the same pose that Shedeur used to rock. And the message that JuJu sent through his poses was crystal clear. That fresh style isn’t just for show, it’s a statement, a reminder that he is all ready to step into Shedeur’s shoes. Flashy accessories? Check. Symbolic poses? Check. It was evident from the very beginning that filling Shedeur’s spot has been Lewis’ ultimate goal. Do you remember that photoshoot even before JuJu committed to Deion’s program?

In that picture, Shedeur posed for the camera donning casual wear, a hoodie, and a pair of denims. Lewis, on the other hand, dressed in the Buffs jersey, was spotted sitting in the Buffs’ throne. What stood out in that picture was Shedeur handing Lewis some keys. It was reminiscent of a perfect ‘passing on the baton’ move. But turns out that someone is eyeing to snatch away the keys. That’s none other than Liberty Flames transfer quarterback, Salter. As analyst David Ubben stirred some fear. “You bring in Kaidon Salter, who I think is really a guy that fits your offense well, can be sort of steadying.” While Lewis is yet to get the clarity, he knows that someone is not going to give up on him, no matter what. And that’s his Coach Prime.       

Julian Lewis’ viral moments with Deion Sanders at Big 12 Media Days

Lewis has received red carpet treatment from Deion. It started with appointing the Buffs’ 101-year-old superfan, Peggy Coppom, to woo Lewis. “JuJu, I’ve been cheering for this Colorado Buffs team for 84 years, and I’m getting tired of being a good loser. I would love to be a good winner, so come on out here and play for us and help us win,” came Coppom’s pitch for Lewis. Then Deion stepped up his wooing game a little more.

The Sink, a 101-year-old burger and pizza restaurant in Boulder, drew national attention. They renamed their famous double-patty cheeseburger over the 5-star prospect. And that’s when “Juju’s Precision Pass Burger” was born. Even though Lewis is now locked in Boulder, Deion does not miss a chance to show his quarterback how much he is special to him. As Lewis made an appearance at media day, his aunt and other family members were there to cheer for him. That’s when a particular moment drew public attention.  

In the clip that went viral, Julian Lewis was spotted standing, striking an awkward pose as Deion Sanders greeted his aunt with a hug. The 17-year-old sported an uncomfortable smile, and the college football world was left in stitches. Amidst these light-hearted moments, Lewis came up with his mature take on the QB situation. “I honestly don’t look at it as trying to fill his (Sanders) shoes. I think I’m trying to create my own path. Me and Shedeur talked about it, I’m not Shedeur. He had a different path starting off at JSU (Jackson State). I started off as a higher name and stuff like that. It’s trying to build my own legacy out there.” Could this surprising maturity from a 17-year-old be the ticket to Lewis landing his dream QB1 role in Boulder?