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“I Don’t Control None of My Money”: Shedeur Sanders’ Replacement at CU Julian Lewis Speaks Up About NIL Money and Avoiding Distractions

Samnur Reza
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Carrollton Trojans quarterback Julian Lewis (10) watches on from the sidelines against the Westlake Lions during the first half at Grisham Stadium. The 15-year-old Carrollton High student has already committed to playing for the University of Southern California Trojans and has been considered one of the top high school quarterback prospects.

Five-star QB Julian Lewis out of Carrollton is set to soak up all the spotlight he’s been chasing this college football season. He flipped his commitment to Colorado last November (from USC), and by mid-March, the Buffaloes officially welcomed him to the team. With Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL, Lewis now finds himself in the mix to take over under center in Boulder.

And while that role comes with pressure, it also brings plenty of perks for Lewis—not just the spotlight, but everything that comes with being the face of a program. After Deion Sanders and his QB son Shedeur brought the CU program back to relevancy, the quarterback position became quite lucrative there. Before declaring for the NFL, Shedeur actually led the country with an NIL valuation of $6.5 million.

That likely won’t change for Lewis either. All the freshman needs to do is keep the winning momentum going. He has the perfect coaching roster to help with that, as Deion brought in a few gold jackets to lead the team. Last year, it was the Alamo Bowl, but this year, it should be the playoffs for the Buffs. And with that, Lewis is sure to climb to the top of the NIL-earning list. But is that something he’s interested in? Lewis says no.

During his appearance on The Pivot podcast, the star QB was asked by co-host Channing Crowder what it was like to “negotiate contracts in high school.” And that too at just 17 years of age, with a seven-figure amount in the mix. Lewis kept it simple, but made his stance clear.

“Yeah, no, I don’t control none of my money. I don’t touch it. I don’t talk about it. My dad, David, Athlete First (Los Angeles based sports agency), they kinda control all my financial stuff,” said the star QB.

“That’s the better way,” Ryan Clark chimed in to the statement. Crowder then pressed the QB and asked if it felt weird when grown adults in the room were valuing his ability during negotiations. Lewis didn’t disagree. However, he also added that while he felt blessed to be part of the NIL era, it wasn’t something he placed much importance on.

Lewis knows full well that college isn’t the end goal—it’s the NFL he’s targeting. He also understands there’s a big difference between NIL money and NFL money to make himself content with what he’s being paid now.

“Just thinking of college of not being the end goal. I mean, all of us want to make it to the league. There’s no reason to kind of set ourselves to the (NIL) standard. The league is the goal. NIL money isn’t NFL money. That’s how I kinda put it in my mind,” he said earlier in the interview.

The 17-year-old will spend the next four years in the CFB landscape before finally getting a taste of NFL money. But he’s already accumulated an NIL valuation of $1.1 million. He reportedly signed a six-figure deal with Leaf Trading Cards and has partnerships with men’s jewelry brand Jaxxon, fitness and lifestyle brand Alo Yoga, and Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza

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Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. He still vividly remembers his first-ever fixture: a 2011 matchup between the Patriots and Raiders, where Brady led his team to a 31-19 victory. Even so, Samnur believes Brady’s best performance came against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, a game he still revisits from time to time. Samnur diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and even the NCAA. Thus, he considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1000 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over a year ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Demon's Souls. Having recently learned how to ride a bike, he now wishes to travel almost everywhere on it.

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