Julian Lewis was supposed to be Colorado's answer at quarterback, the next piece of Deion Sanders' rebuild. Instead, his season has spiraled into a benching, a lost starting spot, and now whispers of a potential portal exit. But is Lewis really ready to leave Boulder, or is the transfer talk simply another narrative being pushed to fuel the latest storm around Coach Prime?
Just a few days ago, CU alum Matt McCall made a bold claim on X, alleging that "JuJu's team" had told Deion Sanders that Lewis would no longer play for Colorado, would sit out the rest of the season while collecting his NIL money, and would hit the transfer portal as soon as possible. The claim sent shockwaves across the CFB fanbase, but according to Phillip Dukes, the entire story may not be what it seems and could simply be a rumour with little truth behind it.
"Rumors out there that Julian Lewis has let it be known that he will no longer play for Coach Prime and that he intends to collect on his NIL checks while not playing if needed," said Dukes.
"The people who want to see Coach Prime gone are the people who ran with this rumor the most in the negative light. And then I saw some people use the rumor and say, 'Hey man, Julian needs to leave Colorado.' And neither is true," he further added.
The former South Carolina Gamecocks defensive tackle argues that it's nearly impossible to blackmail a man like Deion Sanders, considering his history of letting players leave whenever he sees fit.
And there's plenty of evidence to back that up. In 2023, more than 50 scholarship players entered the transfer portal as Sanders overhauled the roster.
That pattern has continued this year. Sanders removed three players from the team after citing conduct that was detrimental to the program: "We removed three. No longer on the team. We ain't playing."
Dukes explained that one of the primary reasons he believes these rumours are false is the fact that Julian Lewis will earn his money by wearing the Colorado Buffaloes branding and logo. The university has given him clearance to wear it, which allows him to receive his NIL money. If that clearance is revoked, he might not be able to earn as much as he currently expects.
"Do you think the university would clear Julian Lewis if he said, No, I'm not playing '? Players were able to redshirt and still get NIL pay last year. That is no longer here. That is done. You get five years to play. That's it. Five and five. If a school determines that you are no longer in good standing based on factual evidence, they're not gonna pay you," said Dukes.
Dukes' assessment might be right here, but there's a simple flaw in his conclusion. Colorado says its institutional licensing agreement compensates athletes for the university's use of their name, image, and likeness, while third-party NIL deals fall into a separate category.
The university might not pay him if the NIL deal is attached to the school, but if it's a third-party NIL deal, there's seldom much the university can do. That said, Lewis signed an endorsement deal with the energy drink brand Gym Weed last year.
Not only that, but he also has deals with Taco Bell, Jaxxon, Leaf Trading Cards, Alo Yoga, and several other brands. According to On3's NIL Valuation, he currently has a $1 million valuation.
While the rumours have not been proven yet, it should be noted that Lewis might not leave the team over a single benching. However, nothing can be assured as of yet. With the Utah Utes up next, these questions might be answered by then.
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