You ever heard the saying- “Not all superheroes wear capes”? Well, Deion Sanders is out here proving it—again. This time, it’s not just about the flash, the chains, or that 9-4 season he pulled off with Colorado. Nah, this one’s different. Deion Sanders literally going the extra mile to protect his new golden boy quarterback, Julian Lewis, from getting tossed into the deep end. Sounds smart, right? Now flip the script and head over to Ann Arbor, Michigan HC ain’t doing the same for their QB Bryce Underwood. What even? Failing to draw ‘protection Act’ for your QB is a bad, bad sign. Meanwhile, Michigan said, ‘Good luck, kid.’ Yeah, it’s as wild as it sounds. But hold up, we’re just getting started.

Deion Sanders pulled a mythic pull in Julian Lewis, the 5-star phenom and No. 2 QB of the 2025 class. That’s like having a PS5 while everyone else is still on the PS4. But unlike some programs (cough Michigan cough), Coach Prime ain’t about to rush his future franchise QB1. Instead, he’s playing chess while everyone else is fumbling with checkers. How? Deion Sanders made 129 IQ move, by pulling Kaidon Salter from the transfer portal—a QB who lit it up at Liberty with 32 touchdowns and over 1,050 rushing yards in 2023. Sure, his 2024 season production and ROI were a little off, but don’t sweat it. Even Drake drops a mid-album sometimes.

The point is, Salter’s the perfect bridge QB to let Julian Lewis marinate, learn the ropes, and come out firing when he’s ready. With Shedeur Sanders off to NFL, Kaidon looks like a starter at Boulder.

Meanwhile, Michigan’s over here like, ‘Bryce Underwood, we got you $10 mill, you’re better play up!’ Let’s unpack this. The mighty Bryce Underwood, 5-star and the top QB of the 2025 class, flipped from LSU to Michigan faster than Taylor Swift’s re-recorded albums hit Spotify for $10 mil. But here’s the kicker, if we are more open about it—the Wolverines are low-key setting him up to fail. Is their QB room this season? A straight-up joke. And sure, they’re riding high after beating Ohio State in Week 14, but let’s not forget—that was on the back of their run game and defense. Throwing a freshman into that mess feels less like a strategy and more like a reality TV show audition.

Back to Colorado. On January 15th, Cody Bellaire went on On3 and summed it up perfectly: “What Julian Lewis’ development could look like sitting behind Kaidon Salter is the ability to learn and take the time to process.” Look, He’s ain’t wrong. College football ain’t high school—it’s faster, tougher, and way more cutthroat. Look at Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola. The guy hyped as the next Patrick Mahomes started as a true freshman and ended his season with 12 touchdowns and 10 picks. Look, all due respect, Dylan Raiola’s still that guy. He only needed some adjustment. Anyway, that’s not the type of pressure and environment you want to put on your franchise QB. Deion’s giving Julian a year to breathe, study the playbook, and dodge the “freshman flop” curse. Michigan’s approach? Let’s just say it’s giving Hunger Games energy—may the odds be ever in Bryce’s favor.

Top Comment by ricks48038

It’s Ann Arbor, not Ann Harbour, genius.

Share your take

Debate

Deion Sanders’ Julian Lewis gets the red carpet; Bryce Underwood gets the spotlight.

This ain’t just about football; it’s about longevity. Deion knows that throwing Julian into the fire too soon could mess with his rhythm—and his confidence. Remember, Lewis reclassified early, cutting off a year of development. By letting him take mental reps and learn from a seasoned guy like Salter, Deion’s just protecting his investment. Meanwhile, Michigan’s banking on Bryce Underwood to be a savior straight out the gate. That’s a risky bet when the Wolverines don’t exactly have a QB-friendly setup. They’re asking Underwood to be Spider-Man without the webs. Yes, Michigan brought in Mikey Keene from Fresno State in the portal, but deep down, we all know Bryce Underwood is the fan-favorite and front-runner for that starting role.

End of the day, this is about setting your players up for success. Deion Sanders is rewriting the playbook, not just on the field but off it, too. He’s already made Colorado history with that 3.0 team GPA and Travis Hunter’s Heisman-worthy season. Julian Lewis is next in line, and Deion’s making sure he’s ready for the spotlight when it’s his time. Michigan? They’re rolling the dice with Bryce Underwood and hoping for the best.

Maybe it’ll work out. Maybe it won’t. Let’s not kid ourselves. We all know what Bryce Underwood is capable of. But one thing’s clear—Deion’s playing the long game, and Michigan’s just playing games. Which strategy would you bet on?