Did Julian Lewis Break NCAA Rules by Joining Colorado Practice-Without Finishing High School?

Coach Prime compared Julian Lewis, the 17-year-old quarterback phenom, to his son Shedeur. The Carrollton High School prospect committed to Deion Sanders’ program last month and is in line to succeed Shedeur at Boulder. The Buffs HC said Lewis had everything “we desire in a quarterback” and was keen to get him started for his new team. So keen, that a week after competing in his school’s state title game, Lewis was seen donning the Buffs’ iconic #10 jersey and posing alongside Shedeur.

Sanders is leaving no stone unturned in preparation for the Alamo Bowl showdown against BYU. Last week talking on “Coach Prime’s Playbook,” Sanders said he was looking to throw Lewis at the deep end and place him on Colorado’s scout team, testing him against the team’s defense. “We’re gonna put his butt on that scout team and let him run against the 1s. We’re gonna see if you flinch.” True to his word, Sanders had Lewis playing in the team’s practice session on Thursday.

Lewis is not a college freshman, though—he’s not even done with high school. His involvement in the Buffs practice session sent ripples across college football. Did Lewis just break the NCAA rules? Was this another case of the system bending for a rising star and Coach Prime getting his way?

Social media exploded with questions, debates, and plenty of accusations, with one fan questioning, “How is he practicing with Colorado already when high school not even over yet?” Lewis is set to graduate high school a year and a half early to join the Buffs officially next month. However, contrary to the whirlwind of speculation, Julian Lewis didn’t violate any NCAA rules by practicing with Colorado.

How? He signed his Letter of Intent (LoI) on December 4th, making his participation in team activities completely legitimate. NCAA rules might seem complex, but this one’s simple: if you’ve signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI), you’re officially committed. You can train, practice, and even compete—regardless of whether you’ve graduated high school yet.

Yes, the NCAA officially eliminated the NLI program in October, but the key principles behind it still stand. Schools can make binding commitments through athletic aid agreements, ensuring clarity for both the athlete and the program. For Lewis, his early reclassification and swift signing meant he was free to hit the ground running. The NLI might be gone in name, but its role in the recruiting process remains pivotal. It is easy to see why Sanders was keen to get Lewis started. A glance at his high school numbers tells the story.

Over three years, he boasted jaw-dropping numbers: 10,677 career passing yards and 142 touchdowns. His freshman year saw him throw for 4,118 yards, 48 TDs, and 12 interceptions, leading his school to a 14-1 record. His sophomore season was also another highlight. Lewis notched up 3,094 passing yards, 48 TDs, and just two interceptions. He finished his high school career with a 39-4 record with Carrollton falling to Grayson in the Georgia Class 6A state title game, in his last game for the high school.

Notably, Lewis had initially committed to USC in August 2023 but announced his decision to decommitt and join Sanders’ program on “The Pat McAfee Show” on November 21.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to get to work and compete,” Lewis told ESPN. “Colorado wasn’t recruiting me until I reclassed, so it really was perfect timing. This is only the beginning. I trust Coach Prime and [offensive coordinator Pat] Shurmur to help me become the player that I want to be.”

In a way, the opportunity to play for Sanders came early and the Buffs fans will hope he will prove to be the ideal replacement for Shedeur, who seems destined to be a top NFL pick next year. The task won’t be easy, but Coach Prime has full faith.

Deion Sanders shows his “love” for Julian Lewis

Lewis ended his final high school season with 48 TDs and 3798 yards to his name. The Buffs know they have a talent on their hands and Sanders and Shurmur will do everything in their power to give him the chance to excel.

“He’s highly productive,” Buffs offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said of him. “He’s a great decision maker, accurate passer, heroic nature.” Shurmur has worked wonders with Shedeur, who has completed 3,926 yards and 35 TDs with a completion rate of 74.2%. The Buffs Nation will hope Shurmur will replicate the same magic with Lewis. Deion Sanders certainly rates him highly as evidenced by his comments.

“That young man (Lewis) is phenomenal, what he’s done in high school football. The thing people forget — yeah, he’s a really good quarterback, he has all the intangibles — the kid is a winner. He’s won all his life. That’s what we love about him,” the Buffs HC said.

The future is exciting for Colorado Buffs and we got a glimpse of it thanks to Coach Prime. Julian Lewis is eager to kick-start his college career and it is possible that he will be the star of the show this time next year.