aubiefifty 17,478 Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 auburnwire.usatoday.com What to know about incoming Auburn LT Percy Lewis Tyler Raley 2–3 minutes Auburn football is preparing for its season in 2024 with the hopes of turning things around after last year’s 6-7 campaign. There were many concerns heading into the offseason, which is why head coach Hugh Freeze has been heavily recruiting kids out of high school and transfer portal, and having success as well. One player that he has landed out of the transfer portal was one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects in Percy Lewis out of Mississippi State. There is a lot of optimism for what Lewis can bring to an offensive line that has not produced much NFL talent in recent years. Executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, Jim Nagy, noticed some things that he thinks Tiger fans should watch out for come football season on the Plains. At 6-7, 355 pounds, Lewis moves incredibly well for his size straight out of the stance. Nagy says that his body versatility really shows in lateral movement on the field, being able to bend and adjust easily in order to make plays easier. His tall frame also allows him to make quicker blocks, as his reach expands farther than most. For someone with little starting experience, Nagy also thinks its important to note that Lewis has a patient mindset that is massively important on the line. He forces defenders to get creative as he is so hard to get around with the length that he provides. Lewis appeared in all 12 games last year for the Bulldogs, making seven starts. He allowed just two sacks and four hurries all year, while only committing three penalties. The fifth-year senior is a prospect for the Senior Bowl and is hoping to become the first Auburn offensive lineman to be drafted since jack driscoll in fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Tyler on Twitter @tral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 17,478 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 si.com Sophomore Center Connor Lew Keys Auburn Tigers Success Terrance Biggs 3–4 minutes Connor Lew, the Auburn Tigers starting center, holds the success of the offense in his hands. Like most offenses, people ignore the center, due to the unglamorous nature of their job. Not to mention, the left tackle remains the star on the line, as the blindside protector and highest paid lineman in the NFL. Yet, Lew, commands a position group, dominated by seniors all around him. Moreover, he earned the undivided trust of the coaching staff , especially Hugh Freeze. You may not hear Lew's name often during a game, but you always see his impact. The Path When starter Avery Jones suffered an injury, Lew made the most of the opportunity. Instead of showing nerves or anxious play. the sophomore from Kennesaw, Ga. stepped up. Playing in the SEC is rough in the trenches. Correspondingly, throwing into the mix as a freshman must feel like a Sisyphean task. Moreover, SEC defensive coordinators salivate at the matchup of a true freshman versus their defensive tackles. Lew stood strong, with excellent footwork and hand technique. From there, you could see improvement week in, week out. Lew finished the season as a PFF Freshman All-American. Now, the center job is Lew's for a while. Emerging Technical Ability Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Lew's play is the technical aspect. While he does not overwhelm or dominate opponents at 295 pounds, Lew blocks to the echo of the whistle. In the run game, he marries hand and feet to win the initial contact. Also, Lew uses those feet to wall off defenders, opening holes, locking on and steering the defender out of the way. Meanwhile, versus the pass, a solid punch gets attention. Now, with a full offseason as starter, he still needs refining. First, technical acumen helps, but there must be an implementation of power. Auburn wants to run the ball. Defensive tackles flying into the backfield, alters holes and suffocates paths for running backs. Lew must finish the blocks. The term " throwing someone out the club" fits. Lock on to a defender and drive him far away from the play, eliminating his chance at a big play. Next, playing in the SEC, Lew must develop more of an edge, a nastiness that sets a tone. Nothing dirty but letting the defender know that he's in for a four-quarter fight. That comes with age and experience. Overview Connor Lew solidified himself as the leader of the Auburn offensive line. As a result, how the unit performs as one, starts with him. Auburn wants to improve upon a six-win season. With this in mind, the offense must execute. In 2023, the Tigers left too many points on the field late that cost them victories. That Alabama loss hangs heavy. Auburn held the ball for 27:17 in the game. Alabama took advantage of offensive faltering to wear the Tigers' defense into powder. Hands on knees, jersey pulling, and every sign of fatigue affected the defense. The offense converted just four third downs. The Alabama defense looked fresher. Connor Lew will affect the offense, hopefully continuing for his upw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aubiefifty 17,478 Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 athlonsports.com Top Auburn Prospect No Longer Committed To USC Brian Smith 2–3 minutes Home Auburn Daily Recruiting The Tigers have a chance to land one of the nation’s top football recruits In this story: Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are diligently working on top recruiting targets whether they are committed or not as recruiting is a never-ending duty. To that point, a recent Auburn official visitor is no longer committed to the program he was when on the Plains, making it more likely the Tigers could eventually pull off a recruiting flip. That recruit is Isaiah Gibson and he’s no longer a part of Southern California’s 2025 recruiting class. 247 Sports has the talented pass rusher as the #1 defensive end and No. 17 player overall. Coming from tradition-rich Warner Robins (Ga.) High School, Gibson is a twitchy 6-foot-4 and 250-pound edge defender. With an excellent 2023 season and 2024 Under Armour Camp, Gibson’s rankings are on the rise with scouts and college coaches. Gibson’s official visit list includes Georgia (May 31), South Carolina (June 7), Auburn (June 10), Tennessee (June 14), and Oklahoma (June 21). The competition is certainly steep but he did just take his official visit with the Tigers. Moving forward for Auburn, learning of Gibson’s de-commitment from Southern California is also a great sign that he’s truly open to learning more about other programs. He’s been to Auburn numerous times for visits anyway. Now it will be curious to see if Gibson gets back to the Plains for a game this fall so the Tigers coaching staff can continue to build a bond with him. So who’s the competition? Georgia is likely the primary contender for Gibson going by previous intel. That’s the game though. Auburn is going to have to beat UGA and other top programs for the elite prospects to get to where it wants to go. Let’s see if Gibson gets back to Auburn for yet another visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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