Over the next three weeks, BSN Buffs will be breaking down our top 20 Colorado Buffaloes entering the fall of 2017. These rankings were voted on by BSN Buffs editor Jake Shapiro and staff Chase Howell and Sam Weaver.
Drew Lewis is primed to breakout in 2017. He was the starting middle linebacker—alongside Rick Gamboa—during spring practice and seemingly won the job by getting awarded the Greg Biekert Award winner for most improved linebacker during spring ball.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder saw action in all 13 games last season with the majority of the time coming on special teams. Lewis was able to get some playing time at linebacker during mop up duty, highlighted by his career high seven tackles against Idaho State.
Last season was his first season with the Buffaloes having transferred from Coffeyville Community College. Before JUCO, he spent his freshman year as a redshirt at the University of Washington.
Lewis is the perfect guy to play alongside Gamboa as he can do pretty much everything that Gamboa can’t. He can move exceptionally well for his size and will be able to cover the inside receivers, one of Gamboa’s biggest flaws is being able to cover quicker receivers and that doesn’t seem like something to worry about with Lewis.
Lewis is crazy athletic, having a team best 130-inch broad jump, that would’ve been the longest broad jump between linebackers at the 2017 combine. He also power cleaned the second most weight of anyone on the football, 345 pounds. Making him truly built like a linebacker.
A lot of that athleticism is in his genes. His father, Will, played in the NFL, his uncle played college football, three of his cousins played in the NFL and both of his brothers played college football.
It would seem like everything is in order for Lewis to be a big time contributor in 2017.
