Deion Sanders’ QB dilemma: Ex-NFL scout warns against benching Julian Lewis

Deion Sanders has never backed away from bold decisions, but one of the biggest choices of his Colorado coaching career is staring him down: who will start at quarterback in 2025? With Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL, Coach Prime is now evaluating Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and blue-chip freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis.

But former Alabama standout and ex-Buffalo Bills scout Gerald “Smoke” Dixon has a word of caution — one that could shape Colorado’s future and keep the Buffs’ rebuild on course.

Deion Sanders’ quarterback decision could shape Colorado Buffaloes’ long-term future

Gerald “Smoke” Dixon knows what success looks like at both the collegiate and professional levels. As a four-year starter at Alabama and a former NFL scout with the Buffalo Bills, Dixon has seen how quickly programs can shift — for better or worse.

Now, as Colorado enters its next phase under Deion Sanders, he’s weighing in with advice only someone with his experience can give.While speaking on the Ultimate College Football Show by 24/7Sports, Dixon weighed in on Colorado’s quarterback competition, which features experienced Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and highly touted freshman Julian Lewis. His recommendation? A two-quarterback system — but with clear expectations and foresight.

"You can't leave a four-star, talented player like JuJu Lewis on the sideline all season, and you can't play Kaidon all year, just because I think he's gonna get banged up," Dixon explained. "When you have a young guy like JuJu, if you keep him on the sideline for a long time, I only know one place where he's going to end up: the transfer portal."Dixon’s comments come as Colorado looks to build on a surprising 9-4 season in 2024, a run that helped vault Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders into the NFL.

Yet despite the Buffs’ success, protecting the quarterback remains a concern — Shedeur was sacked 42 times last year, and Coach Prime has called on his offensive line to step up in 2025.With high-profile recruits and transfer talent at his disposal, Deion Sanders has the pieces to make Colorado a contender. But as Dixon warns, keeping a young star like Julian Lewis engaged might be just as important as naming a starter. The wrong decision could send the Buffs’ future walking.Also Read: Why the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on Shedeur Sanders: Mike Tomlin’s shocking draft decision explained