Jourdan Lewis, CB: The Ready Made Slot CB The Redskins Need

Jourdan Lewis, CB
School: Michigan | Conference: BIG-10
College Experience: RS Senior | Age: 21
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 188 lbs
Projected Draft Status: 3rd Round
NFL Comparison: Kareem Jackson

College Statistics

Player Overview

For me, Jourdan Lewis is one of the most impressive prospects to come out of the Michigan secondary in a long time. Lewis is a great athlete with nice quick twitch ability. Lewis is the type of high effort player I love to watch. He is a competitor and never gives up on plays. Lewis played in the slot and boundary at Michigan and had success covering receivers bigger and quicker than he was. Lewis has impressive short area and closing speed as well great fluidity and leaping ability. He also is sticky in coverage and rarely gives up the big play. He will fight for the ball until a play is made or it hits the ground and shows off impressive hands hauling in an interception of the year candidate against Wisconsin.

He also has special teams experience as a kick and punt returner as well as a coverage defender on special teams. An athletically gifted corner who plays much bigger than his measurables Lewis was rising up draft boards and is arguably one of the best-projected nickel CBs in a loaded class. Lewis is currently dealing with a domestic violence allegation from an ex-girlfriend which he has plead not guilty to. It will be interesting to see if this has any bearing on his projected draft position.

Strengths

• Good athlete with a solid build for the position. High motor high effort guy.
• Solid open field tackler that is rarely faked out by the quickness of opposing running backs and receivers.
• Sticky in coverage and almost always in the receiver's hip. Has impressive closing speed and fluidity when changing direction and bailing. Paired with his anticipation, vision, and leaping abilities he can make a lot of plays.
• With 35 passes defended in his time as a starter is proven to understand how and where to position himself and when to attack the ball.
• NFL ready for the slot with extra value as a special teams contributor.

Weaknesses

• Needs to better get off blocks from linemen and bigger receivers when playing the run.
• Can be baited into hesitation as times with pumps and fakes making his zones shallow which can be exposed over the top.
• Can get grabby if he doesn't see the ball coming drawing flags.

Let’s see his work:

How He Would Fit On The Redskins

I would be ecstatic if the Redskins made the investment into the Slot/Nickel position with Jourdan Lewis. Lewis is ready to play the position now and though it would move Kendall Fuller to the Dime CB position temporarily it’s the type of investment that will pay dividends down the line. There is no guarantee that Bashaud Breeland will return next year and injuries happen in the NFL. Lewis would be an upgrade in the slot as he is a twitchy athlete that has the athleticism and coverage skills to play the middle of the field and the seam. While the slot may be the obvious place for Lewis it's not like he can’t play the boundary either if needed. Lewis is a tough player as well that would likely add consistency to the tackling abilities of the secondary. He also can be put to work as a gunner on punts and kickoffs. The slot CB role is an important position in the NFCE with opposing players like Cole Beasley, Jordan Matthews, and Sterling Shepherd causing problems from the position. Lewis has the ability to stick with those guys and with time and coaching his arrow is pointing up.