Julian Lewis may only be 17, but his football journey is already heavily decorated. One minute, he’s celebrating a fast-tracked high school graduation in Carrollton, Georgia. Next, he’s neck-deep into Colorado’s reps battling for QB1 under Deion Sanders. But there’s a reason why he’s so celebrated at such a young age, and the answer lies in his growth on the gridiron even before he stepped into high school football…

Back in March, Lewis posted his high school achievement on X, saying, “Honored to be recognized as HS QB of the Year and thankful for everyone who has been a part of my journey so far.” It’s not just his stats that turn heads. It’s the legacy he’s been shaped by. And no one put that into better perspective than his longtime QB coach, Sean McEvoy, who commended him by sharing his post with clapping hand emojis.

The new episode on Julian Lewis’ namesake YouTube channel on June 6 featured a look behind the scenes during his “off day grind.” And there’s Sean McEvoy, who endorsed the five-star phenom. “I saw Julian when he was in, like, I think third or fourth grade, actually at the Michael Vick camp,” he said. “So Mike came out, and we did a camp in Atlanta. And it was separated with like a youth part of the camp, and then a high school part of the camp. And about halfway through, we pulled the fourth-grade Julian Lewis up into the high school camp, and I think he was like a top-three performer with the high school guys.” That’s where he separated himself from the rest of the players. 

Sean McEvoy, a 25-year vet in the QB development game, was stunned not just by Julian Lewis’ poise at such a tender age. “Early on, just how consistent he was, how strong his mechanics were, the foundation he had built early on was just different,” he added. Fast forward to 2023, and the connection comes full circle. Julian Lewis returned to work with Michael Vick again as one of 20 elite QB recruits invited to the inaugural Mick Vick Experience Camp in Blacksburg, Virginia. 

In three years at Carrollton High, Julian Lewis threw for 11,010 yards, the 7th-most in Georgia State history, and racked up 144 TDs, the 5th all-time. That’s not even counting the fact that he did it in one fewer season than the guys above him. He was supposed to be a 2026 recruit but reclassified early. And then, he’s the sole player to throw for 48 or more scores in three straight seasons. No wonder he won two Gatorade Player of the Year awards (2023 and 2024) as well as becoming the youngest QB ever to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. He’s that plug-and-play kind of player, but in Boulder, he’s not the only QB in contention for the starter role. 

Deion Sanders gets an ultimatum on Colorado’s QB dilemma 

With Colorado’s quarterback battle heating up, it’s no longer a simple waiting scenario. Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter brings veteran experience with 1,089 rushing yards and 12 TDs in 2023 alone. But Julian Lewis also got the it factor, and according to 247Sports’ Smoke Dixon, he’s already pushing for first-team reps. “I think this is going to be a tandem role,” Dixon said. “You can’t leave a four-star talented player like JuJu Lewis on the sideline all season, and you can’t play Kaidon all year, just because I think he’s going to get banged up.”

If Julian Lewis sits too long, Deion Sanders might have a portal flight risk. “When you have a young guy like JuJu, you keep him on the sidelines for a long time. I only know one place that they’re going to end up, that’s in the transfer portal,” Dixon added. You can’t forget the fact that he flipped from USC to Colorado for the chance to start early. But the freshman QB is confident in his coaches. “Coach Prime and Coach [Pat] Shurmur are going to put me in the best position to develop and our team in the best position to win. I have total faith in that,” he told USA TODAY Sports. “And I’ve got a lot of work to do in a little bit of time, so I’m ready when my coaches say I’m ready.”

Still, the clock’s ticking in Boulder. And Julian Lewis isn’t waiting forever.