USC Trojans’ Rising Star Julian Lewis: A Young Phenom in College Football
Meet Julian Lewis, USC's standout QB recruit, and the youngest Sports Illustrated cover athlete ever.
In a scorching start to the season, the USC Trojans stand at an impressive 3-0, confidently heading towards a well-deserved bye week. Their next challenge awaits as they gear up to face the Arizona State Sun Devils in their first away game this season.
While USC’s success on the field is captivating, the world of college football always has one eye on the future. With the imminent departure of Caleb Williams at the end of the season, USC is set for a quarterback shakeup. The spotlight now shines on their latest big quarterback commitment, none other than the highly-touted Julian Lewis from the class of 2026.
This Georgia native committed to USC late in August, a decision that turned heads across the college football landscape. It’s not every day that a high school sophomore pledges allegiance to a college program, but this move marked a significant win for USC, and they’re hoping Lewis remains steadfast in his commitment.
Julian Lewis has once again surged into the headlines, and rightfully so. This five-star recruit has achieved a milestone that defies his age, becoming the youngest football player ever to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. Seated at the pinnacle of his class, Lewis is already living the Hollywood dream and commanding attention.
With the bold title “Generation NIL” accompanying Lewis on the cover, it’s clear that college football has undergone a profound transformation. Money now plays a central role, and Lewis, at just 15 years old, has already attracted the interest of national brands, and vice versa. In the bustling city of Los Angeles, opportunities knock at every door, and Lewis wisely chose not to ignore them.
“Playing in front of the Los Angeles market could translate to more NIL opportunities. Similar to Bronny James‘ decision to stay home, the City of Angels provides all the resources needed to shoot quality content for brands. Most companies who will want to align with him have offices in the nation’s second-largest city. Filming a commercial and zipping back to campus for practice could be an average day for Lewis.”
While he can’t yet accept these enticing opportunities due to NCAA rules, Lewis knows precisely what he wants, and it’s only a matter of time before he capitalizes on them. According to On3’s College Sports Business reporter, Pete Nakos, one of Lewis’ primary motivations for choosing USC was the promise of lucrative NIL opportunities. The stage is set, and this is merely the opening chapter in the thrilling saga of Julian Lewis and USC.
