2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Travis Lewis

Strengths:
  • Nice triangle numbers (height, weight, speed)
  • Deceptively strong
  • Highly instinctive
  • Love his hand use
  • Knows how to stack and shed blockers
  • Good job working through trash to get to ballcarrier
  • Very athletic and coordinated
  • Tough
  • Beast against the run
  • Intense playing style
  • Consistent
  • Sure tackler
  • Great agility and change-of-direction
  • Monster production going back to freshman season
  • Excellent closing speed
  • Good pass rusher
  • Versatile (4-3 SAM, 4-3 WILL, 3-4 ILB)
  • Good leader
  • Work ethic isn’t a problem
  • Active football player; doesn’t disappear
  • Love his overall skill set and talent
  • Good (not great) in pass coverage
  • Covers a lot of ground
  • True playmaker



    Weaknesses:
  • Might lack some awareness in zone
  • Sometimes gets out of control
  • Could be a little more patient in gap discipline
  • Gets a little high in pass coverage
  • Needs to do a better job of protecting legs
  • Bites on play action a little too much

    Summary: Travis Lewis is getting a lot of flack for something he shouldn’t be getting flack for, and that’s his play against the run. He’s superb. He isn’t 245 pounds, but you don’t have to be to have terrific playing strength. I’ve seen him manhandle offensive linemen and make it look easy on tape. He’s a sound tackler and as close to a sure thing as you are going to get for a 4-3 outside linebacker. He won’t fit the 3-4 as an outside linebacker because he lacks the size and pure pass rushing talent for the position.

    Lewis enters the year with a first-round grade on my board at No. 12 overall and could still move up. I love that he can play both the weakside and strongside in the 4-3 at a very high level, which makes him a very rare prospect.

    Player Comparison: Lance Briggs. Briggs is the 4-3 linebacker everyone in the NFL wishes they had if they run that front. Lewis has a similar skill set and talent level.





    RELATED LINKS:


    2011 NFL Mock Draft: Matt’s | Walt’s


    2011 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


    2011 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








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