Now that’s not what Deion Sanders had planned, right? The Colorado Buffaloes HC had given everything into their Mission JuJu. Yes, Julian Lewis has been the name the Buffs fans have manifested for so long. But it looks like the Carrollton High School star would still have to wait for some more time for the spotlight to fall over him. Now who snatched away the star power from Lewis?
It’s none other than the Liberty Flames quarterback, Kaidon Salter, who is all set to make everything about himself. Well, we are yet to know whether he could replace Lewis in Deion’s list of favorites. Yet, we can envision Coach Prime landing in a tough spot to protect his favorite JuJu.
Julian Lewis is no longer the heir to Shedeur Sanders
The Buffs fans right now must be way too sensitive than before. After all, they would no longer see their favorite Shedeur Sanders, who is all set to sail to the NFL. However, they have pictured someone as Shedeur’s replacement over the past few months. And that’s none other than Lewis. After all, the 17-year-old had led his high school to a significant 30-17 road victory over Buford. Do you remember the picture of Shedeur with Lewis?
SPORTS-FBC-COLORADO-UCF-NOTES-6-OS Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders 2 scrambles against UCF at FBC Mortgage Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/TNS Orlando FL – Florida USA EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xOrlandoxSentinelx 122883387W StephenxM.xDowellx krtphotoslive945647
Yes, in that picture even before he committed to the Buffaloes, he was spotted in the Buffs jersey and Shedeur handed him the keys. Yes, the perfect act of passing the baton. However, it looks like Salter snatched away the keys to succeed Shedeur from Lewis.
On the Until Saturday podcast, analyst David Ubben shared, “You bring in Kaidon Salter who I think is really a guy that fits your offense well, can be sort of steadying.” So, Lewis will no longer get everything served and ready. Rather, he will have to fight for it. “And if Juju Lewis is special you know it is what it is then he can win that job out,” stated Ubben. But what makes the analyst think so highly about Salter? Well, the QB started 29 games for the Flames and earned Conference USA MVP honors in 2023.
He rushed for 1,676 yards since 2023, becoming the second among FBS quarterbacks. So now you know how he is not afraid to make plays. Host Chris Vannini also sees Salter and not Lewis filling Shedeur’s big shoes, “Kaidon Salter is a completely different quarterback from Shedeur Sanders. He will have to run a lot which Shedeur didn’t.”
Sadly, even sharing similarities with Shedeur, Lewis could not save himself from landing in deep water.
Julian Lewis loses his spark after getting snubbed twice
The ESPN ranked Southern Cal as a five-star prospect and the No. 2 high school QB available. However, Lewis’ prospect somehow was dominated because he looked like the Buffs QB on the gridiron. As per recruiting services, Lewis is accurate, astute, and athletic like Shedeur. Deion’s favorite JuJu’s stats do all the talking. During his 2022 and ’23 seasons in Georgia, he threw for a combined 96 touchdown passes and, eventually, led his high school to a 25-3 record.
But bad luck! While Lewis promised Shedeur, “You left huge shoes to fill, but I promise to work to leave @CUBuffsFootball even better than I found it,” that won’t happen anytime soon. That’s because JuJu will now have to thrive under the shadow of Salter, who vowed to keep Shedeur’s legacy alive in Boulder.
“It’s time for me to come in. Shedeur did his thing here, but it’s time for me to come in and do what I got to do. What Shedeur did, and it’s time for me to come in and start my own legacy year,” assured Lewis’ senior. Meanwhile, the analysts too turned away from JuJu.
Back-to-back snubs came his way. On January 1, On3 Recruits launched their “Top 10 QBs in the final 2025 On300 rankings.” On that list, Julian Lewis could not find himself a spot while 5-star and 4-star phenoms like Michigan’s Bryce Underwood and Alabama’s Keelon Russell enjoyed top ranks. This was the second heartbreak for JuJu. Before that, even On3’s “Final 2025 On300 five-stars” didn’t feature him.
So what’s the best advice for Lewis now? To change his mindset. Shadowing Salter isn’t just a challenge—it’s the key to his evolution. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders must choose between his run-heavy option or his son’s lookalike (athletically). A tough choice indeed!
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