5-Star QB Julian Lewis Reclassifies to 2025; Committed to USC, Will Consider Others

Julian Lewis, the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, is going to college one year earlier than expected.

Speaking to Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.com, Lewis intends to reclassify for 2025 and will open up his recruiting to consider offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan and Texas.

Lewis has been committed to USC since August. The Carrollton High School (Georgia) standout is a 5-star prospect and No. 8 overall player in the 2025 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Jeremy Johnson of On3.com noted Lewis' first visit after reclassifying will be with Kirby Smart and the University of Georgia.

Wiltfong noted Lewis' reclassification had been anticipated "for a while," and the 16-year-old said the two teams that have been pursuing him the most are Georgia and Alabama.

"Georgia and Alabama have been recruiting me the hardest and have never stopped," Lewis said. "I know what the opportunity is at Georgia. The opportunity to win championships, be coached and developed for the next level and represent my home state."

It will be interesting to see what kind of impact, if any, Nick Saban's retirement has on Alabama's recruiting. Kalen DeBoer is taking over the program after a very successful two-year stint at Washington, but recruiting in the SEC could present unique challenges for him and his staff.

When he originally committed to USC, Lewis told Wiltfong that head coach Lincoln Riley's success developing quarterbacks played a significant role in his decision.

"Coach Riley being the quarterback coach and OC makes USC different than a lot of programs," Lewis said. "He's proven, all he does is turn his quarterbacks into the best players in college football."

Lewis has been named the MaxPreps National Freshman and Sophomore of the Year in each of the past two seasons. He threw for 3,094 yards and 48 touchdowns with a 66.4 completion percentage in 13 starts to help Carrollton reach the Georgia Class 7A quarterfinals.