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Julian Lewis is working hard heading into his first season in college football. The high school star isn't leaving anything to chance and is training overtime to secure the starting job with the Colorado Buffaloes, but all that work might not be worth it.
Even on Memorial Day, while everyone was home resting, Lewis hit the Buffaloes' gym to continue training. 375-pound bench presses were the highlight of that workout, which partially erases the "social media QB" label that some have attached to "JuJu."
The 17-year-old quarterback shared the workday with his followers on Instagram, with a photo captioned, "Ain't nobody in the building, but there's somebody in the building." Despite everything, experts warn that it's difficult for a rookie to take the starting job from a veteran, especially if that veteran is Kaidon Salter.
Coach Prime already has a favorite
DNVR Buffs insider Ryan Koenigsberg recently revealed that Sanders has already selected Salter as the starter for the training camps. The analyst assured Lewis has the potential for the job, but "There's no doubt in my mind that Kaidon can do it. There's just a different level of precision from JuJu when it comes to that stuff."
Koenigsberg itted that Lewis's throwing accuracy is unmatched; however, Salter brings something else to the playbook. "The potential of Kaidon Salter's running threat is a whole other aspect of the offense that I know they want to lean into," the insider stated.
One of the reasons Sanders snatched Salter out of the transfer portal was his running ability. Although he racked up 6,438 yards and 66 touchdowns as a quarterback in his two seasons with Liberty, "It's all about the running game for me. That's what this season is all about," added Koenigsberg co-host Jake Schwanitz.
JuJu's turn will come
Some analysts say that while Salter will likely be Coach Prime's starter to start the schedule, Lewis could take over under center later in the season. In a worst-case scenario, the freshman will spend a season learning from Salter, but he has the QB1 job secured for next year.
However, nothing is set in stone. With the regular season three months away, much could change during training camp. The race between Lewis and Salter for the starting job is just beginning, and Deion Sanders could still have moves in store that will surprise the media and fans.