The Colorado QB competition is heating up in fall camp. While the logical move has always been for Deion Sanders to start senior Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty with 29 starts under his belt, the uber-talented freshman JuJu Lewis is not going down without a fight.
Coach Prime stated a few weeks ago at Big 12 Media Days that he and the coaching staff have confidence in both quarterbacks, and his decision to bring both of them with him to Frisco pointed toward a genuine QB battle.
Salter still seems like the favorite in the battle. He's the experienced veteran who has put up big numbers at this level. It makes the most sense to start him and allow Lewis a year to develop in the shadows before taking over in 2026 and beyond. But the blue-chip freshman doesn't seem content with sitting on the bench, and he's performing well enough in fall camp so far to make Coach Prime think before making a decision.
JuJu Lewis had an eye-opening throw in practice on Thursday
Lewis understandably still has a ways to go in understanding the nuances of the Colorado offense and the speed of the college game. But the kid is just oozing with talent and natural ability, and it's only a matter of time before he's a star at this level.
During practice on Thursday, Lewis showed off his arm strength and ball placement with an absolute dime down the field to junior WR Omarion Miller, who continues to be on the receiving end of eye-popping throws from Lewis and Salter:
Julian Lewis To Omarion Miller https://t.co/qQwRLCI2DZ pic.twitter.com/IrjkCZpPjf
— The Darius Sanders (@KingDarius_NS) July 31, 2025
Lewis couldn't have handed the ball to Miller in a better spot than that. His raw ability is awe-inspiring. It's not a stretch to say that Lewis is the most talented QB on the roster. He could legitimately push the senior Salter for the starting gig.
It also wouldn't be a surprise to see Sanders choose to run a bit of a two-QB system, although both Lewis and Salter do similar things as dual-threats. Salter is more refined as a runner and can add a dynamic to the Buffaloes' offense that they haven't had in the Prime era.
Lewis' development got a big boost this week with the addition of former NFL QB and Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.
I would still expect Salter to be the starter for the season opener against Georgia Tech, but every day Lewis makes that decision harder and harder for Sanders.