Top QB Recruit Julian Lewis Chooses USC

The consensus top recruit in the 2026 high school football class has made his much-anticipated college decision. Julian “Ju Ju” Lewis, a sophomore quarterback at Carrollton (Ga.) High School, tells Sports Illustrated he has committed to attend the University of Southern California to play for coach Lincoln Riley, who has developed a trio of Heisman Trophy winners. Once Lewis enrolls, he’ll be poised to pick up the mantle of Caleb Williams, last year’s Heisman recipient and an anticipated top pick in next year’s NFL draft.

In July, the coveted 6'1", 190-pound recruit announced he’d whittled his college list down to eight schools: USC, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, LSU, Ohio State, Florida State and Texas A&M.

Lewis will be exchanging one Trojans uniform for another when he moves from Carrollton High School in Georgia to L.A.

Jeffery A. Salter/Sports Illustrated