updated Sept 30
18
Dallas Cowboys: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
and right at 19 is Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
sorry I pick Dre
50
Dallas Cowboys: Ronnell Lewis, DE/OLB, Oklahoma
The Cowboys have a tough decision to make on Anthony Spencer. He admittedly dogged it last year, but is playing well now. He'll be a free agent in March. Will Dallas pay big money to a guy who revealed that he slacked off? I say no, but who knows? If not, the Cowboys will need a new rush linebacker.
82 Dallas Cowboys: Baker Steinkuhler, DE/DT, Nebraska
Ronnell Lewis to Declare for 2012 NFL Draft
Published Sept. 23, 2011
By Charlie Campbell -
@draftcampbell
As the season progresses more and more underclassmen will come closer to making their decision about whether they will return for another collegiate season or enter the
2012 NFL Draft. Every year, the draft class is bolstered by underclassmen, and one who is likely to be in the next draft is Oklahoma outside linebacker/defensive end Ronnell Lewis. Sources close to the Oklahoma program have told BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1 that Lewis is likely to skip his senior season and enter the 2012 NFL Draft.
Lewis is in a tough spot because he probably needs another year at school, but off-the-field concerns are forcing him toward declaring early. The biggest reason why Lewis should possibly stay in school is the fact that he had a position change forced on him this season. After playing linebacker in 2010, Lewis was moved to defensive end this season. In 2010, Lewis had 37 tackles with five tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three passes broken up and one interception. Almost all that production came in the last half of the season when Oklahoma started to feature Lewis.
Physically, Lewis is a beast. He is built like a truck and plays the game with violence. Last season, Lewis was a force who consistently dished out big hits. Lewis is listed at 6-foot-2, 244-pounds but that was before he switched to end, and since then, he looks like he has bulked up some more. In two games at end this season, Lewis has played well. He has 15 tackles with four tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and one pass defended. Those 15 tackles lead Oklahoma.
With the position change, it would probably be in Lewis' best interest to return to school to improve, get bigger, and provide another season of tape for NFL evaluators at his new position. The problem is that Lewis has been dealing with academic eligibility issues. Those caused him to miss part of training camp practices and put his junior season in doubt. He returned on time, but those are vital reason why Lewis may have to leave school early. According to sources, it is because of those eligibility challenges that Lewis is likely to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.
Teams are going to have to decide what position Lewis will play in the NFL. That analysis will be harder to make with Lewis not playing his senior season in college. If he tops 250 pounds, he could be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Lewis could play Sam (strongside) linebacker in a 4-3 defense if he is in the 240s. His current height and weight (6-2, 250s) make him a bit of a tweener for a 4-3 defense, and possibly a better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
Sources tell BAN-INCOMING-IN-3-2-1 that Lewis does not have a bad reputation and is not said to have off-the-field issues with discipline or legal problems. In past conversations with some NFL coaches, they have explained that some players have academic issues in college and those problems are erased in the NFL because they don't have time limits of preparing for football while balancing the academic load. Lewis could use another year of college, but his academic challenges will likely force his hand and make him enter the
2012 NFL Draft. Right now, he is a late first- or second-round pick.
