The 2025 season would gift the Colorado Buffaloes fans with a new narrative. Their good ol’ Shedeur Sanders, Shilo Sanders, and Travis Hunter’s era is over. It’s time for their favorite Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis to soar to the limelight. The Buffs fans are also eagerly waiting for that to happen. After all, Deion Sanders and Co. have given their blood, sweat, and tears to land Lewis. However, in Boulder, it won’t be an easy ride for the 5-star QB in the initial days. He will have to thrive under the shadow of the Liberty Flames quarterback transfer Kaidon Salter.

Ever since the Buffs got serious with Mission JuJu, it was obvious that Lewis would be filling Shedeur’s shoes. That’s when Shedeur’s picture posing with the 5-star QB went viral doubling down the speculation. Back in July, Lewis posted a picture donning the Colorado jersey. Back then he was still committed to the USC Trojans. In that picture, Lewis was spotted seated on the Buffs throne where as Shedeur was standing just next to him handing him the keys. The gesture stood up for the passing the baton move. However, looks like Lewis still will have to wait for some more time to fill Shedeur’s place.

That’s because it’s Salter who gets the shot to succeed Shedeur Sanders. On the On3 Recruits podcast, host Josh Newberg had some questions for national recruiting scout Cody Bellaire regarding Lewis’ development in his freshman year. Bellaire stated, “I think you have to start with Kaden Salter, Josh. I think you have to say what is this offense going to look like going from Shedeur Sanders to Kaidon Salter. Kaidon Salter brings an element to the quarterback position that haven’t seen for last couple years, which is the ability to run.” Salter’s stats and honors do all the talking.

He started 29 games for the Flames and earned Conference USA MVP honors in 2023. The QB also led the program to a 13-1 season. You know that he is not afraid to make plays when has rushed for 1,676 yards since 2023, second among FBS quarterbacks. Yes, this might make Lewis sad, but it’s a blessing in disguise. As the analyst pointed out, “So being able to take mental reps and learn from someone that’s as experienced as Kaidon Salter is extremely valuable for his development. That way he doesn’t have to be thrown into the fire and he can take a year to learn and grow as a player.” 

However, since Lewis shares a lot of similarities with Shedeur in finding space and decision-making, the Buffs might not opt for the run-heavy option, Salter. Instead, they will be counting on Lewis to keep the legacy of Shedeur-style offense alive. No matter, which position JuJu plays for, Deion has already made a big effort to protect him.  

Deion Sanders’ big efforts for Julian Lewis

Even though the Buffs have parted ways with their dual-threat Hunter, that doesn’t mean their blunders still not haunt them. Maybe they still regret how Hunter once underwent a poor fate back in 2023. September 16 must be the Dark Day for Deion’s squad. After all, it was a day of blunder. Hunter fell prey to a serious injury while playing for Colorado State. The Ram’s safety Henty Blackburn landed an illegal hit on Hunter. Even though Shedeur and Co. went home with a 43-35 win, it left their two-way star with a lacerated liver injury. 

It’s obvious that the Buffs fam is too protective about their favorite Lewis. So Deion has started early to protect the 5-star QB, stopping him from undergoing the same fate as Hunter. For that, Coach Prime has landed the standout linebacker from UTSA, Martavius French. He is going to a recommendable addition, adding depth and addressing the gaps in the coverage. The young chap recorded a team-high 80 tackles and added one sack. Plus his durability and playmaking ability came forward as he played 634 defensive snaps. Now this is the least that Deion Sanders could do for Julian Lewis. 

After all, the 5-star QB has made a big promise. Posting a picture of his No.10 jersey and Shedeur’s No.2 jersey hanging side by side in the locker room, JuJu wrote, “You left huge shoes to fill, but I promise to work to leave  @CUBuffsFootball even better than I found it. Forever grateful 🙏🏽 #TrustGod #TrustTheProcess.” Now let’s see how he lives up to his words.