Deion Sanders’ Rising Influence in Colorado Threatens Lincoln Riley’s USC, in Position to Snatch Julian Lewis

Deion Sanders must be the happiest man in Boulder now. Despite a mediocre 4-8 season, the “Coach Prime effect” continues to work its magic. Due to the Sanders crew’s flashy marketing and attention-grabbing moves, the Buffaloes‘ popularity has skyrocketed, resulting in all their season tickets for 2024 selling out. This marks the second consecutive year that Deion has achieved this feat. Thus the slogan for this year is undoubtedly “We coming,” and fans have high expectations for the team to live up to the hype.

With Deion Sanders’ influence growing in Colorado, it seems likely that he’ll attract top talent in the upcoming season. As the team’s stars, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, prepare to enter the NFL, Deion may swiftly find their replacements. In fact, he’s already causing a stir by potentially luring away 5-star quarterback Julian Lewis from Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans.  

Coach Prime tries to poach 5-star QB from rivals

A recent video highlighted the excitement surrounding the Buffaloes, and the host added how “we’re going to start seeing some top players decide to pull up,”  Notably, he meant 5-star quarterback Juju Lewis who is “currently committed to USC and Lincoln Riley; a former rival for this squad. Now he’s just put on social media that he will be in Boulder this summer.” 

This is a significant success for Deion, as Lewis is considered a top prospect and a potential game-changer. The host went on to enthusiastically praise Lewis’ elite skills, stating, “Look at his numbers here. He is a 5-star prospect on ESPN as well as rivals has him the number one player on their poll. He is the number one dude and he is that dude. Dude can play.” The host also noted how Deion is actively trying to recruit the “Georgia kid”, aiming to make Colorado a “nationwide team.”

It seems like Deion’s efforts might pay off, as Lewis also appears to be leaning towards joining the Buffaloes.

Deion Sanders’ persona is doing the talking

Julian “JuJu” Lewis, a highly sought-after quarterback in the 2025 class, is attracting the attention of numerous football programs. He has already visited teams like Indiana and USC Trojans, even verbally committing to Lincoln Riley’s USC team in August. However, Lewis continues to explore other options, with a particular focus on Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes.

Interestingly, Lewis is making 3 trips to Boulder this year alone. His first two visits in February and March were unofficial, but he recently announced a third trip in May. Lewis might even have an answer for his frequent visits as he feels, “Coach Prime is super positive and motivating.” It looks like Deion is luring star players and selling out tickets just with his high-spirited persona. While USC boasts a better win record and potentially more lucrative NIL deals, Deion’s charisma is proving to be more strong. If Deion successfully secures Lewis’ commitment, it would be a massive coup for the Buffaloes, potentially transforming their prospects for the 2025 season. However, the final decision remains uncertain, and Buffs will have to wait and see what happens.