Super Sophomore QB JuJu Lewis talks return to Alabama
JuJu Lewis, considered the No. 1 recruit in the ’26 class, announced his commitment to USC last month. The Carrollton (Ga.) quarterback is far from completely shutting down his recruitment. Lewis visited Georgia two weekends ago, and he returned to Tuscaloosa on Saturday night for Alabama’s game against Texas.
Lewis has visited Alabama several times as a fan and a recruit. He started attending games at Bryant-Denny Stadium when he was only nine years old, and has traveled back to T-Town almost every fall.
“It was a good game,” Lewis told BOL. “The crowd was loud and cheered all game. I’ve been to a lot of Alabama games, but that one felt different. I know they wish they could play it over.
“I talked with Coach (NIck) Saban and Coach (Tommy) Rees. They were just glad that I came out. My relationship with both of them is the same. Nothing has changed.”
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Many around the program are familiar with Lewis after he received an offer from the University of Alabama prior to his freshman season. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete didn’t let the attention consume him. He had a remarkable 2022 campaign with more than 4,100 yards passing 48 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Alabama’s impressive run at the position which has included players like Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Bryce Young consistently captures the attention from the best high school products in the country. Julian Sayin, five-star quarterback from Carlsbad High School in California, is committed to Alabama in the ’24 class.
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Alabama remains a top destination for QBs
Photo by Chad Simmons/On3
Lewis doesn’t see much of a drop-off in talent or coaching at the Capstone. Alabama had a slew of superstars, first round picks at the position. It had to replace the No. 1 overall draft pick this year. Alabama had not even named a starting quarterback until the the first week of the regular season.
“They’re just as good as they’ve been,” he said. “It’s just different without someone like Bryce (Young). Bryce was Bryce…”
Young was a special player for the Crimson Tide, and many expect the flow of top quarterbacks to continue. Julian Sayin isn’t going anywhere. Alabama has its eyes on a few elite players at the position in the ’25 and ’26 class. The high level of recruiting and signing great quarterbacks wull not slow down any time soon.
“I’ve visited Alabama more than any other school except Georgia,” Lewis told On3 Sports prior to the season. “Coach Saban’s offense is built around what I do well. The system really does fit me perfectly. Coach Rees and the talent they have at every position make it a great option.”
Alabama hopes it can flip Lewis away from his commitment to the Trojans, but it will not come easy especially if he considers re-classifying to the ’25 class. He expects to return to Alabama for the LSU game on November 4.
Lewis continues to hear from his teammates who are committed to Alabama, Caleb Odom and ’26 interior OL Zykie Helton. Both are recruiting him to join them at Alabama in the future, but also dialed-in to their high school football season and a state title run.
Lewis mentioned spending time with his teammates, ’25 DB Devin Williams, ’26 DL Jahkeem Stewart, ’26 LB Tyler Atkinson, ’26 S Nassir McCoy, ’26 DL Deuce Geralds and ’26 DL Bryce Perry-Wright during the return visit to Alabama.
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Lewis growing On3 NIL Valuation
Lewis has an On3 NIL Valuation of $497K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.
“Lewis is already primed to succeed in the new era of college sports. While the Georgia High School Athletic Association prohibits athletes from monetizing their publicity rights, the Carrollton High quarterback has done everything else to put himself in a position to eventually cash in on NIL,” wrote On3’s Pete Nakos.
“Multiple sources have made it clear to On3 that multiple brands will be lining up to sign Lewis to a multi-year NIL deal whenever he can begin to profit. USC is obviously a Nike school, but the quarterback has the clout where he could become a valuable chessboard piece for a sportswear brand.”
His NIL valuation grew by 121% following his commitment to USC.
Lewis ranks as the No. 1 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also tabbed in as the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia in the 2026 class.
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