Lewis's stock continues to rise

The NFL draft season is a funny time. Players who had outstanding college careers could see their stocks fall considerably if they don't put up favorable numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine and pro days. Conversely, players who didn't stand out on the actual football field during their college careers can see their stocks rise considerably if they do put up favorable numbers at the Combine and pro days.

One prospect who seems to be enjoying the tremendous benefits that result from fantastic pre-draft workouts is Oklahoma defensive end/outside linebacker Ronnell Lewis. After posting good scores at the Combine in February, Lewis came through again with an impressive effort at Oklahoma's Pro Day Wednesday afternoon.

The workout is well under way in Norman, Oklahoma and the early results have been good for Ronnell Lewis. The college pass-rush specialist, who projects to outside linebacker in the NFL, slightly improved his 40 time from the combine, posting 4.65 seconds. In Indianapolis, Lewis was credited with a electronic time of 4.72. His vertical jump of 32.5 inches represented an improvement of 1.5 inches.

In Oklahoma, Ronnell Lewis comes away with glowing reviews from his pro day workout. Lewis also worked linebacker and defensive line drills after running the 40. He looked incredibly athletic, quick and balanced during defensive line drills. He was surprisingly smooth when put through pass coverage exercises. Lewis was quick moving in reverse, effortlessly changed direction and got tremendous depth on pass drops. For a player who primarily made plays behind the line of scrimmage in college, Lewis showed surprising ball skills today. Expect his draft grade to move into the top half of round two after today.



While Lewis has proven he's a superior athlete, the question remains whether his skills will make him a good player in the NFL. I wrote about Lewis last month, before the Combine, in which I pounded the point that he didn't produce much at Oklahoma, as he finished his career with just 10 sacks and 20.5 tackles for losses. I also cited a scouting report put together by National Football Post's Wes Bunting, who wrote the following on Lewis:

“Overall, his game reminds me some of former 2010 second round pick Sergio Kindle and former 2011 third round pick Justin Houston. He’s an explosive kid with a ‘plus’ first step, generates a lot of natural explosion into contact and is a powerful striker. He’s got the ability to threaten the edge, fend off blocks through contact and shoot gaps well inside.

“However, I don’t see a ton of savvy to his game as a pass rusher yet. Lewis isn’t a real sudden kid when trying to slip blocks and counter off his speed rush and does look a bit tight when trying to work his way around the edge.”

My take: I really don't care very much about what Lewis has done the last month in shorts at the Combine and his Pro Day. The most important element to look at is how Lewis performed on the football field. From what I've been reading, Lewis didn't exactly tear it up for the Sooners, so my hope is the San Diego Chargers won't waste a premium draft pick on him.

With the addition of outside linebacker Jarret Johnson this week, the Chargers already filled their need of a run-stuffer at the position. They now need a dynamic pass-rusher who can collect 10-15 sacks a season, and Lewis doesn't appear to fit the bill.