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JUCO 'backer high on the Buffaloes

Linebacker remains one of the Buffs' top recruiting needs this cycle, and Colorado has targeted a prospect at the position that would likely be able to make an instant impact.

Drew Lewis plans to take an official visit to Colorado, possibly during the Jan. 22 weekend.
Drew Lewis plans to take an official visit to Colorado, possibly during the Jan. 22 weekend.
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After redshirting at Washington in 2014, then missing the majority of the first six games of the 2015 season at Coffeyville Community College, Drew Lewis quickly worked off the rust.

“In the very first game against Iowa Western, I broke the thumb on my right hand and that kept me out for five weeks,” recapped Lewis, a 6-foot-2, 224-pounder that transitioned from safety to linebacker at the Junior College level this past season. “I was finally able to get a club put on and came back to play the next five games. I was able to finish pretty well.”

Lewis averaged 12.2 tackles per game through Coffeyville's final five contests. He racked up 22 tackles and three sacks against Dodge City on Oct. 31.

“To be honest, I was kind of skeptical as to how I would play after not playing for so long but to make plays like that in a big game against a good team, it helped me for the rest of the season,” he said of his performance against Dodge City. “I definitely played with a chip on my shoulder the rest of the season.”

One of the top 10 ranked prospects from the state of Washington in 2014, Lewis opted to stay in-state but he was dismissed from the Huskies' program last summer. He made the most of his opportunity at Coffeyville, which is located in southeast Kansas, just miles north of Oklahoma.

Lewis will finish up at Coffeyville in the spring with three years of eligibility remaining. He has received the most recruiting interest from Colorado, Memphis, Utah State, UAB, Western Kentucky and Arkansas State.

“I haven't finalized which dates, I am still trying to work that out, but it is looking like Colorado, Utah State and Memphis will be the colleges I will take an official visit to later this month,” Lewis said. “I have talked to the head coaches from all three of those programs recently to get an understanding of what is going on and so far it is looking pretty good with those schools.”

Lewis has been in contact with head coach Mike MacIntyre from Colorado, and he expects Buffs defensive coordinator and linebackers coach JIm Leavitt to stop by Coffeyville after the end of the current recruiting dead period.

“I got off on a good note with the coaches at Colorado,” he said. “My older brother, who is two years older than me (Ryan Lewis, now at Pittsburgh), was getting recruited by Colorado out of high school so he took a visit and really told me good things about that.

“I have never been to the campus before but I am looking forward to it because all I have heard is great things about the layout and the landscape and things like that. Colorado told me I could come in there and play a role right away. That is definitely my goal, to get some time on the field now. They told me I would fit in great. I have to come out and see for myself how I like it.”

Colorado and Utah State are both recruiting Lewis for outside linebacker, while Memphis projects him for their Spur role, which is a hybrid between safety and linebacker, a position called Rover by many other programs.

“I have been through the recruiting process before so I know what to expect and I know what type of questions the coaches will ask me. So I will be a little more prepared this time around,” Lewis said.

Is there one program that currently has the edge?

“It could change but I might be favoring Colorado a little bit right now,” he said. “Coming back to the Pac-12 appeals to me. We'll see how my visit there goes but I'd go Colorado first right now and then Memphis, probably, and then Utah State.”

Lewis also had offers from Arizona State, Pittsburgh, Washington State and Wyoming as a prep recruit out of Eastlake High School in the Seattle area.

“Just being able to redshirt for that one year and then playing at the Junior College level this past season, I gained so much experience and confidence,” he said. “I know how to communicate well on the field and how to get the whole defense on the same page. I feel like I can definitely help someone out right away.”

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