Is Ronnell Lewis Leaning Towards Declaring for the N.F.L. Draft? Is he this Year’s Blaine Gabbert?
A name that has popped up twice today in my daily routine of reading football blogs, listenting to the radio is Oklahoma LB/DE Ronnell Lewis of the Oklahoma Sooners.
Once, I was listening to the radio and ESPN’s Director of College Scouting was asked (on the Scott Van Pelt Show).
Who is a player that wasn’t on the radar before the season that you think could end up as a first round pick in this year’s draft.
McShay responded (something like…this is completely from memory)
(picture source the Oklahoman.com)
Ronnell Lewis the DE/LB that plays on Oklahoma. Lews is a player I didn’t get film of in my preseason routine because he only started the last three games last year, but he has really stood out this year. He’s a player that is very athletic and has good size for his position at 6’2 245 pounds. He’s a player that teams will really like and could end up in the “first half of the first round in the 2012 N.F.L. Draft”.
A couple of hours later I was peursing the blogs I read frequently I saw this (from walterfootball.com)
Sources close to the Oklahoma program have told WalterFootball.com that Lewis is likely to skip his senior season and enter the 2012 NFL Draft. Lewis is listed at 6-foot-2, 244-pounds but that was before he switched to end, and since then, he looks like he has bulked up some more. In two games at end this season, Lewis has played well. He has 15 tackles with four tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and one pass defended. Those 15 tackles lead Oklahoma. With the position change, it would probably be in Lewis’ best interest to return to school to improve, get bigger, and provide another season of tape for NFL evaluators at his new position. The problem is that Lewis has been dealing with academic eligibility issues. Those caused him to miss part of training camp practices and put his junior season in doubt. He returned on time, but those are vital reason why Lewis may have to leave school early. According to sources, it is because of those eligibility challenges that Lewis is likely to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.
Lewis might be that “Blaine Gabbert/Aaron Maybin” type player. A player that most draft sites don’t have any information on until the draft is almost here. A player that seemingly shoots up draft boards at the last minute to be selected early in the first round. But pay attention to Ronnell Lewis that’s twice today I’ve read something/heard something that indicates Lewis could be heading for the first round and that he is likely to enter the N.F.L. Draft. (As a disclaimer I’d like to emphasize that I have no sources to independently verify this information. I’m also writing that walterfootball.com is reporting that their sources say that Ronnell Lewis is probably going to declare the N.F.L. Draft. And watch him play, he could be a target in the first round for your favorite team.
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