On Wednesday, Deion Sanders took significant steps toward establishing a new chapter in Colorado football by signing 14 new high school recruits for the 2025 season, which includes Julian “JuJu” Lewis, a prospective star quarterback from Carrollton High in Georgia.

These recruits will be part of a significant roster overhaul at Colorado, marking Sanders’ third such redesign, this time without two of the program’s standout talents: two-way player Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is also the coach’s son.

As for rankings, the current recruiting class sits at No. 37 nationwide according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, placing them fourth in the Big 12 Conference, trailing TCU, Baylor, and Kansas State, with Texas being the top team overall as of Wednesday afternoon.

However, signing high school players is just one aspect of Sanders’ approach. The transfer portal opens on Monday, and Sanders is determined to make a significant impact there, saying he will “hit that portal like it hasn’t been hit before.”

“What stands out is that high school recruitment took a more serious turn this year after he focused on two previous transfer classes (since 2023) and secured top talent in this year’s class,” remarked Adam Gorney, the national recruiting director for Rivals.com. “This wasn’t just about filling out the roster over the transfer players. Clearly, JuJu Lewis is the standout of this class.”

The Signing of JuJu Lewis Reinforces Sanders’ Commitment to CU

Lewis guided his high school to an undefeated 13-0 season and intends to enroll at Colorado in January. His signing may also address a lingering question in college football over the last 15 months: Will Deion Sanders remain at Colorado after his two sons leave the team at the end of this season?

It’s likely Lewis wouldn’t have committed to Colorado if that were the case. Although he initially pledged to Southern California last year, after visiting various campuses, he recently chose Colorado, where the Buffaloes (9-3) are preparing for an upcoming bowl game, likely the Alamo Bowl on December 28.

“For Deion to accomplish this was significant, as he probably had to assure JuJu and his family of his commitment to staying in Boulder,” Gorney stated to YSL News Sports.

JuJu Lewis Set to Receive Support at Colorado

What’s daunting for Colorado’s opponents is that Lewis may prove to be even more talented than Shedeur Sanders, at least based on the recruiting ratings. In 2021, Shedeur was ranked No. 26 among quarterbacks nationally, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He had initially committed to Florida Atlantic before opting to join his father at Jackson State and then transferring to Colorado, where he currently leads the nation with a completion percentage of 74.2%.

Conversely, Lewis is ranked No. 6 nationally among quarterbacks, per the same rankings. Additionally, Colorado is bringing in substantial support players; they signed three offensive linemen on Wednesday, including tackle Carde Smith, a 6-foot-5, 300-pound athlete from Mobile, Alabama, who switched his commitment from USC to join JuJu at Colorado and is ranked as the No. 18 offensive tackle, according to Rivals.

“I can’t wait to get to Boulder and start working,” Smith expressed in a social media video on Wednesday.

Deion Sanders’ Approach to High School Recruiting

Deion Sanders has built a reputation for being a force in the transfer portal rather than primarily focusing on high school recruitment. His transfer class for 2024 achieved the No. 1 ranking according to Rivals. At the start of the season, he welcomed 39 new scholarship transfers from four-year schools, compared to only 11 new high school scholarship recruits. Last year, his high school class was ranked No. 95 in the nation, mainly due to its limited size, according to 247Sports’ composite.

“We typically don’t take many high school players, and those who do come onboard are expected to contribute immediately,” Sanders stated at a recent press conference. “We need them to produce.”

In his debut season as head coach, Sanders began 2023 with 17 new high school scholarship players compared to 47 new scholarship transfers from other colleges. Of those 17 high school recruits, only nine remained a year later. This contributes to a professional atmosphere within the team, as newcomers must be highly competitive given the influx of older transfer players.

“We secured the recruits we wanted,” Sanders remarked last week about his latest group of high school players.

He signed recruits from high schools across seven different states, including his home state of Florida, where he attracted edge rusher London Merritt from IMG Academy after he switched his commitment from Ohio State. Merritt is ranked as the No. 13 edge rusher, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. Additionally, Sanders brought on three wide receiver prospects on Wednesday to help fill the gap left by Hunter, who is set to advance to the NFL next season.

Did Deion Sanders Lose Any Recruits?

Indeed, one recruit who initially committed to Colorado in April chose not to sign with the Buffaloes on Wednesday: cornerback Alex Graham from Cass Technical High School in Detroit, who announced he would instead sign with USC.

Although his choice caused Colorado to slide a few spots in the national recruiting ranks, Sanders isn’t worried as he can explore other avenues through the transfer portal.

New Colorado High School Football Signees for 2025

The recruits who start at Colorado in January will have the opportunity to train with the team prior to the Buffs’ bowl game. Below is the list of recruits officially signed as of Wednesday, marking the beginning of the early signing period that lasts until Friday:

• QB Julian Lewis from Carrollton, Georgia.
• OT Carde Smith from Mobile, Alabama.
• OG Chauncey Gooden from Nashville, Tennessee.
• OT Jay Gardenhire from West Bloomfield, Michigan.
• WR Quentin Gibson from Fort Worth, Texas.
• WR Adrian Wilson from Pflugerville, Texas.
• WR Quanell Farrakhan Jr. from Houston, Texas.
• TE Zayne DeSouza from Loveland, Colorado.
• TE Corbin Laisure from Johnson City, Tennessee.
• DE London Merritt from Bradenton, Florida.
• DT Alexander McPherson from Bradenton, Florida.
• DL Christian Hudson from Daytona Beach, Florida.
• LB Mantrez Walker from Buford, Georgia.
• S TJ Branch from Miami, Florida.