Deion Sanders rolled out the red carpet for Julian Lewis last month. The Boulder community embraced the coveted quarterback prospect with open arms, loud chants, and even a double-layered cheeseburger in his honor. After all, ‘JuJu’, was expected to be Shedeur Sanders’ replacement next year. But wait, all these recruiting gimmicks for a ‘4-star’ QB?

Just before his anticipated commitment to the Buffs’, On3 recruiting service downgraded Lewis from a prized 5-star recruit to a mere 4-star. This sudden snub raised eyebrows, especially since other services like ESPN and Rivals still consider him a top 5-star talent.

Now, Deion Sanders, known for his outspoken nature, took a humorous jab at On3 on social media. He jokingly posted: “To whom it may concern if u desire to come play for us @CUBuffsFootball they may drop your HS rankings just because. I have a friend name LuLu from Ft. Myers they did that to years ago and they’re still doing it now. Fortunately we don’t care about rankings.”

Though in a fun tone, Deion’s message hints at frustration. It wasn’t just Lewis who faced a rating drop. Two other recent Buffaloes commits, 4-star IOL Chauncey Gooden and 4-star cornerback Alex Graham, were also downgraded to 3-star status. Now it sure looks like a deliberate attempt to downplay Colorado’s recruiting efforts. However, Deion seems unfazed by all these.

Not just On3, even 247 Sports downgraded Lewis, while other major services still see him as a 5-star talent. He currently sits way back at no. 44 and no. 46 in both of their respective rankings. Now the million dollar question is: how will this setback affect Lewis’ commitment decision? To add, this isn’t the first snub Lewis has faced in recent times. 

Can Deion Sanders help Julian Lewis reclaim his shine?

Julian Lewis, the coveted 5-star quarterback, had been a hot commodity on the recruiting scene for a while. Despite initially committing to the USC Trojans last year, he made visits to other schools like Auburn, Indiana, and even to Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. While a switch to the Buffs seemed likely, other programs still remain in the picture.

However, Lewis wasn’t just racking up visits in the past months. He was also showcasing his skills at QB camps like the Elite 11 and Rivals series. While Lewis put on an impressive passing display, other quarterbacks stole the show. Ohio State commit Tavien St.Clair secured the Quarterback MVP and bagged the accuracy challenge title. Meanwhile, Alabama commit Keelon Reese took home the coveted Elite 11 Trophy. Looks like On3 might have considered this before dropping a star from his ratings. This sudden drop could impact his decision and make him seem less “elite” to some. Still, fans are confident his future team, hopefully, Deion Sanders’ Buffs, can help him prove his talent.