Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis is heading into the season with a ranking that says plenty about where he stands and how much still sits ahead of him.
In The Athletic’s recently released college quarterback rankings from Antonio Morales and Sam Khan Jr., Lewis landed at No. 49 and was placed in tier four. That group included a mix of unproven younger players and older journeymen, a slot that reflects both Lewis’ upside and the questions still hanging over his game.
Lewis enters his second season with plenty of attention attached to him, and for good reason. He arrived in Boulder as one of the country’s top quarterback prospects, and his college resume came in loaded with the kind of traits that get evaluators talking: incredible accuracy, pocket awareness, quick release and a high football IQ.
He also has something else working in his favor - a chance to take over full-time. Morales and Khan Jr. wrote, "The former top-100 recruit steps into the starting role full-time after playing in four games last season.
Lewis showed flashes of the talent that attracted suitors out of high school, but he still has a lot to prove. 'From a physical traits standpoint, nothing just jumped off the screen like, ‘Wow, this kid's a big-time player,' a Big 12 offensive coordinator said,"
That reality makes this season a major test. Lewis is stepping into the role left by former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and he’ll also be judged on how quickly he adapts to new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s Go-Go Offense.
The ranking itself doesn’t settle anything. Preseason lists rarely do.
But it does underline the idea that Lewis is being measured as much by his potential as by his limited sample size. Compared with quarterbacks in the higher tiers who bring more experience, he still has a lot to show.
Colorado’s offseason has given him a chance to settle in, sharpen his game and build chemistry with a roster that includes plenty of new faces and some returning ones as well. That matters for a team trying to move forward after last year’s 3-9 record.
The Buffaloes have been busy in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail, and Lewis will be one of the central figures in whether all that movement turns into progress. A new receiver group featuring transfers Danny Scudero and DeAndre Moore should give him help in 2026, but the bigger question remains the same: can Lewis make the leap in his second year in Boulder?
As training camp and the season get closer, the spotlight will only get brighter. For Lewis, the next step is simple to say and harder to pull off - prove he belongs in the conversation with the biggest names in the sport.
In Other News...
Colorado Still Has One Big Summer Question In The Frontcourt
Colorados summer work has been shaped by a frontcourt addition who still hasnt had much chance to show what he can do. David Gomez arrived as one of the more important offseason pickups for Tad Boyles team, but his time on the floor has been limited as he continues working back from the foot injury that cut short his season at Charlotte after only two games. For a roster trying to sort out its interior options, that leaves one of the key new pieces more of a projection than a known commodity.
Boyles uncertainty about Gomez is part of what makes the situation so interesting for the Buffaloes heading into the fall. Colorado needs answers inside, and Gomez was brought in to help provide them, but the staff is still waiting to see how he fits once he can get fully involved. The frontcourt picture is not the only thing taking shape around the program, either, with Colorado also lining up a Dec. 19 game against Purdue, the first meeting between the schools in 39 years. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados New Offense Could Unlock Several Breakouts Or Expose Everything
Colorados new-look offense is built to do more than just look different on paper. With Chris Marve and Brennan Marion joining the staff and a wave of roster turnover reshaping both sides of the ball, the Buffaloes are banking on the system to bring clearer roles and faster development for a group of players who arrived with real upside. The most intriguing names are the ones who could benefit most from a cleaner fit: a quarterback still growing into the job, a former Alabama running back looking for a fresh start, a tight end who can create matchup problems, and a transfer receiver who can stretch the field.
The upside is obvious, but so is the risk. New schemes tend to reveal as much as they unlock, especially when so many of the key pieces are still learning one another and the staff is still sorting out who can be trusted in the biggest moments. Colorado added help up front and more bodies on defense too, which should give the Buffs a better chance to stabilize the operation, but the real question is whether the offense can turn all that promise into production before the season starts asking harder questions. [Read more 🡒]