Why Deion Sanders and $4 million could be enough to flip top 5-star QB from USC to Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes haven't given up in their chase of 2025 5-star QB Julian Lewis just yet. Lewis, who has been a firm commitment to USC despite continued interest from Colorado, Auburn, and even Indiana, has been especially valued by Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes.

Current Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of head coach Deion Sanders, has even endorsed Lewis as his heir.

Colorado has even more to offer Lewis than the throne of QB of the future as Sanders prepares to take his talents to the NFL after this fall. With Sanders reportedly worth close to $5 million per year in NIL endorsements, it's fair to wonder whether the dangling of $4 million in NIL is enough to get Lewis considering Colorado.

There must be some consideration in Lewis' camp as to the value of NFL development. Though he's a smaller prospect like Bryce Young, Lewis will certainly get the eyes of evaluators. He plays a magnetic, electric style that has become more in vogue with NFL teams in recent years.

The Buffaloes haven't developed QBs effectively in many years outside of Sanders, and even he is a bit of a one-off since he's been more tied to his dad's coaching staff since starting at Jackson State. USC head coach Lincoln Riley, meanwhile, has developed Caleb Williams, Baker Mayfield, and Jalen Hurts.

That's not exactly a fair fight for long-term development. But maybe that doesn't matter for Lewis, since he was considering Auburn and Indiana. Neither of those schools can even boast what Colorado can in the developmental aspect.

The University of Colorado hasn't traditionally been referred to as a breeding ground for top NFL quarterbacks. The most recent instance of a quarterback from the Buffaloes being chosen in the NFL draft dates back to 1997, when the Eagles selected Koy Detmer in the seventh round.

Before him, Kordell Stewart was picked by the Steelers in the second round of the 1995 draft. Stewart, originally from New Orleans, became famous as "Slash" for his dual role as a wide receiver and quarterback with Pittsburgh. He eventually concluded his career in Baltimore as a quarterback exclusively. Looking further back, the last time prior to these instances was in 1984, when the Raiders drafted Randy Essington in the 12th round.