Georgia Tech’s Alberto Mendoza vs. Colorado’s Julian Lewis: NIL Money & NFL Draft Stock
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College football is back and fans are getting a look at two intriguing quarterbacks in Georgia Tech’s Alberto Mendoza and Colorado’s Julian “JuJu” Lewis to begin the season. Yes, Mendoza is the brother of Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The signal-caller transferred from Indiana to Georgia Tech and earned the Yellow Jackets QB1 role. Lewis is a former highly-touted recruit who is looking to live up to the hype in his second season under Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.
Here’s everything you need to know about Lewis and Mendoza.
Colorado QB Julian Lewis & Georgia Tech QB Fernando Mendoza Both Have NIL Projections Starting at $1 Million
Lewis has a projected NIL value of $1 million, per On3. The Colorado quarterback’s NIL deals include Taco Bell and JLab Audio.
There is not as much information on Mendoza’s NIL money with Georgia Tech. The NIL Standard projected Mendoza’s NIL value at $1.8 million, but this estimate appears on the higher side.
Julian Lewis’ NFL Draft Stock Has Room for Improvement
Neither Lewis or Mendoza are currently viewed as top NFL draft prospects, but there is plenty of time for this to change. Lewis will not be eligible to turn pro until the 2028 NFL draft.
Heading into the college football season, Lewis is projected to be potential fifth-round pick in the 2028 NFL draft, per NFL Mock Draft Database. Lewis is widely absent from early 2028 NFL mock drafts, but these tend to have a lot of fluctuations given the draft is two years away.
Alberto Mendoza’s NFL Draft Stock: Georgia Tech QB Is Projected to go Undrafted
As for Mendoza, the Georgia Tech quarterback is currently projected to go undrafted in the 2027 NFL draft. Mendoza is a redshirt sophomore and has plenty of time before the quarterback would need to declare for the draft.
The Yellow Jackets quarterback is a former three-star recruit in the 2024 class. In addition to Indiana, Mendoza was recruited by James Madison, Appalachian State and East Carolina.
Heading Into 2026, Colorado QB JuJu Lewis Has Played Just 4 College Football Games
Lewis was a highly-touted recruit in the 2025 class. Both Rivals and ESPN had Lewis as a five-star quarterback.
Rivals rated Lewis as the No. 7 quarterback and No. 56 overall ranked player in the 2025 recruiting class. Heading into 2026, Lewis has limited college football snaps.
Lewis made just four appearances in 2025 throwing for 589 yards and four touchdowns while completing 55.3% of his passes. Sanders is looking to take some of the leadership responsibilities off of Lewis’ plate in 2026.
“What I don’t expect, and this may sound crazy, but it’s real, because he’s a young kid, I don’t need my quarterback to lead us,” Sanders noted at Big 12 Media Days in July, per CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson. “I need my quarterback to do what we ask him to do. He’s 18, and we’re asking an 18-year-old kid to lead a locker room full of men; that’s not fair to him.
“But what I’m asking him to do: make the plays that should be made and do what’s necessary to be done, but you do not have to stand up in front of the team and hoo rah this, and hoo rah that, you do not have to run out of the tunnel first. You do not have to get on nobody’s butt, just do your job, man. That’s it.”
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