Colorado QB Julian Lewis inks NIL deal with Starbucks

As his freshman season begins at Colorado, quarterback Julian Lewis continues to thrive in the NIL space. The true freshman has signed an NIL deal with Starbucks.

Lewis did not appear in the Buffaloes’ season opener last week against Georgia Tech, but is expected to make his college debut this week. Coach Deion Sanders confirmed the former highly rated recruit is set to play in Week 2 when CU takes on Delaware at Folsom Field after Kaidon Salter got the start in Week 1.

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Lewis, who has a $1.1 million On3 NIL Valuation, is already building a strong NIL portfolio at the college level. He’s now getting a jolt of caffeine with it, as well, through his deal with Starbucks as the company enters the NIL space.

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Last month, Lewis was also part of a Colorado-focused activation at Taco Bell featuring multiple Buffaloes players. Offensive lineman Jordan Seaton was also on board, as were wide receivers Quentin Gibson and Dre’lon Miller. The four players are featured on collectible cups as part of Taco Bell’s “Buffs Box” combo meal.

Additionally, Lewis inked an NIL deal with Gym Weed last month and has an equity stake in the company. He also previously signed a six-figure deal with Leaf Trading Cards and has an endorsement deal with the men’s jewelry brand Jaxxon.

At $1.1 million, Lewis’ On3 NIL Valuation ranks No. 48 in college football. He has built a strong social media following, fueled by more than 200,000 followers on Instagram.

Deion Sanders on Julian Lewis: ‘You don’t want to rush things’

Now, Julian Lewis preparing to make his college football debut on Saturday, though Coach Prime pumped the brakes when asked whether Lewis could start down the road.

That said, Sanders said Week 2’s game against Delaware provides a good opportunity for Lewis to take the field for the first time. He wanted to avoid rushing the true freshman and opted to let Salter have the game against Georgia Tech in Week 1.

“You got to understand, I love that kid, man. I really do and I want him to be extremely successful,” Sanders said. “Sometimes, you don’t want to rush things. Sometimes, you don’t want to delay things. You want to make sure the timing is right.

“I didn’t think the timing was appropriate last week. I really don’t, at the way the game was flowing, the rhythm of the game. But, this week, I made up my mind already before. Now, he’s going to play. So, I don’t give a darn about the flow or nothing. He’s playing.”