Former Tennessee Vols QB involved in one of the top quarterback battles in the nation ahead of 2025 college football season

A former Tennessee Vols quarterback was included this week on On3's list of the top quarterback battles in the nation ahead of the 2025 college football season. 

On3's Pete Nakos pointed out the eight biggest starting quarterback battles in the sport and the battle at Colorado between Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis made his list. 

Salter, who transferred from Liberty to Colorado earlier this offseason, is a former Vols quarterback who signed with the program during the 2021 recruiting cycle. 

From On3: Deion Sanders landed four-star quarterback recruit and longtime USC commit Julian Lewis late in the 2025 recruiting cycle. But Colorado did not want Lewis to be the only option in 2025, deciding to go after a transfer quarterback. The Buffaloes landed Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, who is 20–4 in his career as a starter. The decision to bring in Salter sets up a quarterback battle in the spring.

Salter has thrown 600 career passes with a 60.3 completion percentage, with a 59 to 13 touchdown-interception ratio. But Lewis has proven he can get on the field quickly. He reclassified from the 2026 class to 2025, starting all three seasons of his high school career at Carrollton (Georgia) and throwing for more than 11,000 yards.

Salter told WFAA last month that Colorado didn't make him any promises about starting during the transfer recruiting process, noting that it will be "all competition" with Lewis. 

Lewis is a former four-star recruit who signed with Colorado in December.