(STATS) – That his former Eastern Washington teammates Kendrick Bourne, Cooper Kupp and Samson Ebukam have forged NFL careers would seem to provide a comfort level for budding prospect Josh Lewis.
That’s not quite his style.
“Yes, because they kind of paved the wave as far as coming out of Eastern Washington and making the NFL,” Lewis said. “But I’m never comfortable, I’m always trying to do something to get better. I’m never a finished product as far as my game, mentally and physically.”
This week, the 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback hopes to take a step toward playing at the next level with a good showing at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. A defensive standout in Eastern Washington’s FCS national runner-up season, Lewis is part of the National squad and one of 21 overall players from the subdivision.
It’s basically a job interview for the participants, but Lewis finds himself absorbing a lot of information from his team’s coaching staff and NFL personnel. The eighth-year all-star game will be played Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
“Everyone’s faster, everyone’s stronger. It’s just a lot more technical than college, a lot more precise,” Lewis said. “You have to fine tune your weaknesses that you have and strengthen your strengths more than ever.
“I think sometimes FCS guys get a little overlooked as far as the next level. I’m just showing that I can compete with everyone here and do well and be a shutdown corner and improve in all aspects.”
Lewis did that as a senior, an anchor in Eastern Washington’s secondary. He is physical at the line of scrimmage and finishes well when balls are in the air. This past season, he set career highs with 62 tackles, five interceptions and 12 pass breakups. Included were a pair of picks against Maine in the national semifinals.
Having posted a 3.54 graduate point average as a criminal justice major with a minor in sociology and psychology, he says, “I kind of take the same approach in the film room as I do the classroom, so I’m always in there doing anything I can extra. When I was in college, I would help lead player-led meetings and go through film and go through breakdowns and cutups, so I guess it’s just the extra work I put on the mental side of the game.”
The NFL, Lewis adds, “is a huge step, but it is what I’ve worked hard for. I’m going to give it everything I can to reach the next level.”
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