On3.com, a prominent authority on recruiting rankings and NIL evaluations, has recently updated its 2025 quarterback rankings ahead of the upcoming football season, reflecting adjustments made after a busy offseason of skills camps.
Julian Lewis, committed to the USC Trojans, has experienced a notable downgrade in his rating, dropping from a 5-star prospect to a 4-star recruit. He now stands as the 7th-ranked quarterback in his class, slipping behind several other top prospects including Bryce Underwood (LSU commit), Matt Zollars (Missouri commit), Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State commit), Deuce Knight (Notre Dame commit), Husan Longstreet (Texas A&M commit), and Keelon Russell (Alabama commit). This places Lewis at an overall ranking of 44th in the class.
The adjustment in Lewis’s ranking raises questions, particularly since no actual football games have been played during this evaluation period, which primarily included offseason skills camps. Analysts speculate that the shift may be attributed to his decision to reclassify from the 2026 to the 2025 graduating class. At 6’1” and 186 pounds, Lewis is noted as one of the younger and smaller quarterbacks in his cohort.
Despite his physical stature, Lewis has garnered praise for his accuracy and ball skills. According to Andrew Ivins of 247 Sports, who observed Lewis at the Elite 11 camp, he exhibited precision in ball placement and excelled in both pro day drills and 7-on-7 competitions. Ivins highlighted Lewis’s potential as a quarterback capable of executing a high-volume, up-tempo passing game—a style favored by USC head coach Lincoln Riley, known for developing quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield, Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams, and Kyler Murray, whose physical dimensions vary widely.
While some may view Lewis’s downgrade in stars as a concerning development, others interpret it as a natural consequence of his reclassification and the introduction of new quarterback talents in the class. Lewis, still only 16 years old, has ample time to continue developing physically before he enters college. It’s worth noting that other recruiting outlets still maintain Lewis as a 5-star prospect, underscoring the subjective nature of recruiting evaluations.
Looking ahead, Lewis has an entire senior season of high school football to showcase his skills and potentially reclaim his 5-star status. USC fans are encouraged to remain optimistic, understanding that Lewis’s talent and potential remain highly regarded despite the recent recalibration of his recruiting ranking.
In conclusion, while Julian Lewis’s adjusted ranking may raise eyebrows, it reflects the dynamic nature of recruiting evaluations and the ongoing evolution of high school prospects. As Lewis prepares for his final year of high school football, he has the opportunity to solidify his standing and reaffirm his status as a top-tier quarterback prospect in the competitive landscape of college football recruiting.
