Big names and big dreams. The USC commit QB Julian Lewis knows he is a sizzling name in the CFB realm even before officially stepping into it. Given his proximity with Shedeur Sanders, the four-star QB knows what a big name can get out outside of the field: some lavish, luxurious beauties in your garage, your face in the top sports endorsements advertisements, heck, even his own line of sneakers to boast on the field when playing. That's exactly what he's aiming for.
When asked about his 'dream' NIL deal, Julian Lewis picked the option that would be a dream for any football player: Nike.
"I mean everybody want that Jordan Nike, all that stuff. That's smooth. I think that's every kid's dream," Lewis said during his "2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders" podcast sitdown.
However, the touted top QB in the class of 2025 has not limited himself. Outside of clothing and apparel, JuJu has another mega-dream: Luxury cars.
"You know Texas had all that Lambo stuff going on, that was cool. That's an eye-catcher for a 16-year-old," Lewis said, voicing out his aspirations, again walking down the path Sanders has already walked down.
Deion Sanders Jr., the co-host of "2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders" humbly chipped in with a reminder of Shedeur's high-profile NIL contract with industry heavyweight Mercedes. But then, there are hardly any endorsement deals (comprehensible in CFB player terms) that Shedeur hasn't already broken ground on.
Shedeur Sanders' enviable $4.8 million NIL portfolio
Back in May 2024, the CU QB's NIL profile sustained a huge drop to $4.6 million. Following that, the launch of 5430 NIL alliance (the controversial one), launched by Colorado, paired with another campaign with 'Beats by Dr. Dre' for their 'Beats Elite' NIL campaign rose this number to $4.7 million.
Luckily, the QB then signed a dream deal for every other NCAAF athlete with Nike, spiking his valuation to $4.8 million this week, per On3. Even though his valuation suffered a bit of a hit at $4.6 million, Sanders continued to reign as the top NIL-valued player in the mix, all thanks to the massive NIL deals he has accrued.
Top sports endorses like Under Armour, Gatorade, and Beats by Dr. Dre, all are a part of the QB's seismic NIL portfolio. Now add industry giants like Mercedes and Nike to that list, and it becomes the top NIL-valued portfolio in the whole of NCAA.
But Sanders is about to leave the CFB after this season. Now, will Lewis be able to build a Name, Image, and Likeness as powerful as Sanders that he lands his dream NIL deals, ones that are already on Sanders' profile, without playing for Colorado?
Only time can tell.