Lincoln Riley has done it again. After missing out on the No. 1 player in the class of 2024, quarterback Dylan Raiola, Trojan fans were unsure of who the quarterback of the distant future would be. However, Lincoln Riley, a.k.a. “the QB whisperer”, has landed the commitment of Julian Lewis, the No. 1 player in the class of 2026.
Lewis is one of the most hyped-up quarterback prospects since current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lewis earned his first Division 1 offer in eighth grade from Florida and has not slowed down since. Even though he is only a sophomore in high school, Lewis has received offers from the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Clemson and Georgia, just to name a few.
In Lewis’ freshman year playing for Carrollton High School in Georgia’s highest division, he threw for 4,304 yards and 49 touchdowns while leading Carrollton to a 14-1 record. Their only loss came in the state championship game. Despite the loss, Lewis threw for 531 yards and five touchdowns, breaking the record for passing yards in a state championship game in Georgia.
These stats are unheard of for a freshman. In my home state of Oregon, freshmen aren’t even allowed to play varsity football. Now, comparing Oregon and Georgia high school football is like comparing American soccer to European soccer; it’s just a different monster. Nonetheless, what Lewis did was incredible for a kid who hadn’t even stepped foot onto a high school field until that year.
Lewis has been described as a very mature quarterback, especially considering his age. He is known to make big plays on the big stages and is not one to just take the first quick option, but rather find the right option and send his receiver a heat-seeking missile of a spiral.
Dare I say that Lincoln Riley has found the next Caleb Williams? The next in line for the throne of USC quarterback is freshman Malachi Nelson, and while I believe Nelson can be a star, Lewis may already have that star player impact that you just can’t teach. It’s ridiculous to fantasize about these things right now, as Lewis will not even step on campus until after I graduate (which makes me feel incredibly old as a 19-year-old); however, this type of player brings that level of hype.
Along with his hype, Lewis could attract more star talent. It is a well-known fact that great players want to play with other great players, especially a quarterback. I would not be surprised if USC lands a multitude of skill position players in the classes of 2025 and 2026 who want to play with Lewis.
The only issue with Lewis’ commitment to USC now is that he still does not graduate for three years. He lives in the heart of SEC football, which means that’s three more years for Georgia, Alabama, LSU and others to potentially sway him to change commitments. If I were Lincoln Riley, I would try to convince Lewis to reclassify to the class of 2025, so that he can get on campus as soon as possible, to keep Lewis away from the greedy SEC boosters and coaches.
It is very possible that Lewis could start out of the gate for the Trojans, similar to how Trevor Lawrence did for Clemson. Of course, Lawrence led them to a national championship his freshman year. Malachi Nelson could be off to the NFL by 2026, so Lewis may come in and start immediately, which could be what drew him to the Trojans.
I don’t want to say Lewis is the next great USC quarterback, as he is only 15 years old, but this kid is a star. Even though it is quite a while out until he will become quarterback at USC, I cannot wait to see him play.