BREAKING: Nation’s Top Recruit, QB Julian “J2” Lewis, Stuns College Football, Flips Commitment to Michigan Wolverines
ANN ARBOR, MI — In a move that has instantly reshaped the landscape of college football recruiting and the 2025 season outlook, Julian “J2” Lewis, the consensus top-ranked player in America, has flipped his commitment to the University of Michigan. The five-star quarterback from Carrollton, Georgia, who had been the long-standing cornerstone of USC’s top-ranked recruiting class, announced his shocking decision in a televised special Sunday evening, choosing the Maize and Blue over the Trojans and a host of southern powerhouses.
Lewis, a generational talent hailed for his preternatural pocket presence, elite accuracy, and advanced football IQ, becomes the highest-profile commitment of the Sherrone Moore era. His decision serves as a thunderous declaration that Michigan, fresh off a national championship, remains an irresistible destination for elite talent under its new head coach.
“This was about the total development for me, on and off the field,” Lewis said from the set of the broadcast. “My relationship with Coach Moore and [offensive coordinator] Kirk Campbell is built on real trust. They see me not just as a player, but as a person and a leader. The culture they have in Ann Arbor—the toughness, the brotherhood, the demand for excellence—it’s unmatched. I want to come in, compete, and help write the next chapter of Michigan football history.”
This flip is a recruiting earthquake with immediate and far-reaching consequences. For Michigan, it secures a transformative talent at the sport’s most critical position, ensuring the quarterback room remains stocked with championship-level potential for years to come. Lewis is the archetypal prospect for Michigan’s offensive system, capable of making every throw and elevating the entire offense. His commitment instantly solidifies Michigan’s 2025 class as a top-three group nationally and acts as a powerful magnet for other elite offensive playmakers seeking to catch passes from the nation’s best.
For USC and the college football world, it is a stunning reversal. Lewis had been the face of Lincoln Riley’s recruiting efforts for over a year. His departure for the Big Ten champions underscores the shifting tectonic plates within the sport, amplified by conference realignment and the transfer portal, and proves Michigan can now win battles for any player, anywhere.
The victory is a testament to the foundational culture built by Jim Harbaugh and now passionately advanced by Sherrone Moore. It also highlights the strategic prowess of Michigan’s NIL collective, “Champions Circle,” which has positioned itself to be competitive in the modern market for premier talent. Michigan sold Lewis on a powerful combination: a proven developmental path for NFL quarterbacks, an unmatched team culture, and the chance to lead a historic program in the expanding Big Ten.
Julian Lewis’s commitment is more than a major signing; it is a paradigm-shifting event. It affirms that Michigan’s championship program is built to last and that Ann Arbor is the new epicenter for aspiring college football legends. The message is clear: under Sherrone Moore, the Michigan Wolverines are not just reloading—they are aiming to dominate for the long haul.
