USC 5-star QB commit Julian Lewis purchases car for father through NIL earnings

Julian Lewis is one of the pioneers of NIL at the high school level.

While plenty of top recruits have inked endorsement deals in the last three years, the USC five-star quarterback commit is built to succeed in the NIL space. The high school senior-to-be has more than 205,000 social media followers. He threw for 3,094 yards with 48 touchdowns in 2023, leading Carrollton (Georgia) High School to an 11-2 record.

Since the Georgia High School Athletic Association moved this past fall to allow high schoolers to profit off their NIL, Lewis has not wasted any time signing deals with national brands. He signed a six-figure deal with Leaf Trading Cards and has an endorsement deal with the men’s jewelry brand Jaxxon and also with Alo Yoga.

Speaking with On3 at Tuesday’s On3 Elite Series, Julian Lewis shared he’s been able to purchase his first car, as well as a vehicle for his father.

“Shoot, money’s life,” he said. “I’ve got to help provide for my family. I bought my first car. I bought my dad’s car. It’s definitely been a blessing to go through the process. But I mean, my whole thing is football. I’ll make more in the NFL than I will right now in high school or college off NIL.”

Julian Lewis still heavily pursued

Julian Lewis told On3’s Steve Wiltfong on Tuesday that he’s locked in with USC, but Auburn, Colorado and Indiana are all still under consideration. The Buffaloes are very much in the mix, with the quarterback telling Wiltfong that “Colorado is the biggest name popping right now.”

Julian Lewis reclassified to the 2025 class in January. He committed to USC on Aug. 22, 2023, as the top-ranked player in the 2026 cycle. He’s still committed to the Trojans but has continued to take visits throughout his recruitment. The 6-foot-0.5, 180-pound quarterback still sees a future playing for Lincoln Riley on the West Coast.

He’s worked with Athletes First and Justin Giangrande to help shepherd him through the NIL space. Lewis also signed with Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack brand this spring, starring in marketing material for the rapper’s new college-inspired apparel collection “Jack Goes Back to College.”

“I know they’re going to keep me safe,” Lewis said of his representation. “Athletes First would never put me in a bad position. They’re going to help me excel and make money and do what needs to be done, so I can trust that I keep playing the game the way I’m playing.

Lewis has massive marketability

Julian Lewis boasts a $1 million On3 NIL Valuation, sitting at No. 1 in the high school football NIL rankings. The annual projection is sky-high because of the value his social media following provides to brands. The valuation is No. 25 in the On3 NIL 100, the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.

“Despite what some fans and media believe, there is not an unlimited amount of money being deployed to manage rosters,” said Shannon Terry, the founder and CEO of On3. “Any model – whether it’s today’s broken NCAA ‘student-athlete’ construct or media rights sharing through employment, which is almost a certainty in the near future – demands efficiency based on the athlete and school knowing the athlete’s respective market value.”

The On3 NIL Valuation is calculated by combining Roster Value and personal NIL. Roster value is the value an athlete has by being a member of his or her team at his or her school, which factors into the role of NIL collectives. NIL in an athlete’s name, image and likeness and the value it could bring to regional and national brands outside of the scope of NIL collectives.

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