Colorado has dealt another huge recruiting blow to Lincoln Riley and USC as Deion Sanders prepares for life without his son, Shedeur, and Travis Hunter.

The Buffs’ superstar duo are headed to the NFL in 2025 after inspiring a dramatic turnaround in their two seasons with the program. Colorado is 8-2 and in control of its Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff destiny heading into Saturday’s showdown with Kansas.

They will leave a huge void for head coach Sanders to fill, but he and his staff have been hard at work in recruiting, making huge progress in their bid to flip Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis, the No. 2 ranked quarterback in the class.

Lewis has decomitted from USC with the Buffs in pole position to land his services ahead of Georgia. And another player who had pledged his future to the Trojans has followed Lewis’ lead, decommitting after being targeted by Colorado.

Four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith has backed out of his commitment to Riley and USC. The Alabama native had previously committed to Auburn before changing his mind and announcing on Aug. 5 he would be attending USC.

However, On3 reports Smith has been tempted away from Los Angeles by the opportunity to see the field as a freshman in Boulder. The Buffs’ surprise emergence as a playoff contender has also opened Smith’s eyes to the possibilities that could await him in Colorado.

Colorado hopes to beat Georgia to Carrollton High School star Ju Ju Lewis, who has decommitted from USC

Colorado hopes to beat Georgia to Carrollton High School star Ju Ju Lewis, who has decommitted from USC ( 

Image:

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Recruiting site 247Sports is also confident Smith will be wearing a Buffs jersey in 2025, with lead analyst Tom Loy entering a crystal ball prediction that the Williamson High School prospect is heading to Colorado. Loy has also made a crystal ball prediction that Lewis will Colorado’s next quarterback.

It would be a huge coup for the program, securing two top recruits from under the noses of Riley and the Trojans – two of the top coaches and programs in the country respectively. On3 rates Smith as the No. 140 overall recruit in the 2025 class, and the No. 12 offensive tackle.

Colorado’s efforts are not done yet, though. The program is trying to beat Michigan to land four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng and Ohio State to four-star edge rusher London Merritt. The Buffs are also trying to flip Alabama’s five-star offensive line commit Michael Carroll.

Carroll verbally committed to the Tide in June, but he was blown away by a recent visit to Colorado’s campus. His father“ told On3: “My kid is awestruck with the scenery and everything.” He added the attention and success of the linemen who had seen the field early at Colorado were also standout factors to consider.