National analyst ‘gives the edge’ to Indiana football for top-15 prospect in 2025 class

The Indiana football program is in the midst of a dogfight recruiting battle for one of the top quarterbacks in the entire 2025 class — Julian Lewis. Despite remaining committed to USC, there continue to be whispers about an expectation he ends up elsewhere. That’s elsewhere could be Indiana.

Indiana has already hosted Lewis for an official visit this summer — one that Lewis came away ‘impressed’ from.

Why? Not only the vision Curt Cignetti has for the program, but the development he and his staff have seen from their recent quarterbacks, as well as the relationship Lewis has with now IU quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri.

Sunseri is someone Lewis has known since his childhood.

“Coach Tino is my guy,” Lewis previously told 247Sports. “I’ve known him since I was eight-years old. He’s honestly the first college coach to notice me.”

It’s a relationship that got Indiana football a visit. But, it’s one that continues to hold a lot of weight.

While Lewis took multiple official visits over the summer, including to USC, talk about Indiana continued.

And on Monday 247Sports national analyst Tom Loy made a slight prediction.

“I do not expect him sticking with his pledge to the Trojans,” Loy said of Lewis. “I look at Indiana and Colorado and a lesser extent Auburn … I think that staff is doing a phenomenal job and we all know about the relationship with Tino Sunseri. I think Curt Cignetti is doing a phenomenal job recruiting him and making him a priority.

“Right now I give the edge to Indiana over Colorado and the field.”

A key reason for Cignetti’s hiring at Indiana was his ability to develop quarterbacks, a position that is a high priority at this level and one that Indiana has struggled with over the last decade. Cignetti’s resume with quarterbacks is why Indiana Athletic Director Scott Dolson was intrigued by Cignetti early on.

“We wanted someone who was a proven evaluator and developer of talent. And we really wanted someone also who had worked with quarterbacks,” Dolson said about Cignetti during his introductory press conference. “Quarterbacks was really important to us.”

Indiana already beat out numerous high-major programs for four-star and top-15 QB in the 2024 class with Tyler Cherry. So, there is momentum on the recruiting trail at the quarterback position.

Lewis is as talented as they come. In two high school seasons, he’s thrown for 6,952 yards with 93 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions. This past season he had 3,094 yards with 48 touchdowns and just two interceptions, per MaxPreps.

The former top overall player in 2026 classed up to 2025 in January. Lewis, who is ranked No. 15 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings, has been one of the most talked about prospects over the last year.

SEE ALSO: Kurtis Rourke has ‘separated himself pretty significantly’ in Indiana football QB battle

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