Everything you need to know about Ohio State DE Tyquan Lewis

One of the more experienced players out of Ohio State, defensive end Tyquan Lewis stayed in Columbus for his last year of eligibility, despite graduating in Dec. 2016, because he was “hungry for more,” according to Ohio State. He was among a very deep DE rotation during the 2017 — thanks to youngsters like Nick Bosa — but still managed to finish his collegiate career ranking No. 5 in program history in all-time sacks with 23.5.

His legacy with the Buckeyes also includes ranking No. 15 in career TFLs (36.5), No. 11 in TFL yards (176), and No. 7 in QB sack yards (147). The two-time team captain also won the Big Ten Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year award in 2016, and first-team All-Big Ten honors in both 2016 and 2017.

Lewis racked up such high stats thanks to his athletic ability and staying healthy. He suited up for the Scarlet and Gray in 55 games (good to tie for most games in school history) and also claimed 36 starts. He was a critical piece of stability for an Ohio State defense that both carries exceptional expectations and sees quite a bit of turnover thanks to the NFL-caliber talent.

Scouting Report

Here’s what the pros are saying in his NFL Combine Scouting Report:

STRENGTHS: Plays with adequate upfield charge as a rusher. Able to gain good ground up to the rush arc with his first two steps. Plays with good lean at the top of his rush to create momentum around the corner. Knee bend helps him flatten to the quarterback sharply once he gets around the edge. Has enough size to reduce inside and rush as a defensive tackle on passing downs. As interior rusher, can be too quick for some guards to handle. Plays with good hand strength and quickness. Gets hands into opponents early on. Has size and strength to set a firm edge against tight ends.

WEAKNESSES: Average athlete at the position. Movements can be somewhat segmented. Plays with too much wasted motion. Feet get heavy when asked to change direction suddenly. Gives up some positioning at the point of attack. Not a force against the run. Can be knocked off-balance by angle blocks and may struggle against powerful tackles. Lost playing time and production to teammate. Doesn’t show increased acceleration after his first two steps as a rusher. Doesn’t string rush moves together consistently.

Measurements

• Height: 6-3 2/8”
• Weight: 269 lbs
• Hand size: 10 3/8”
• Arm length: 33 6/8”
• Wingspan: 80 1/8”

Combine Results

Bench press: DNP

40-yard dash: DNP

Vertical jump: 35.5”

Broad jump: 122”

Draft Projection

The Buckeye wasn’t able to put his full talent on display in Indy thanks to the flu, but luckily Lewis (and the others) had another chance to perform drills in front of scouts at Ohio State’s Pro Day on March 22nd. Even without helping his draft stock at the Combine, Lewis was already considered a Round 5 or 6 pick, and should have at least solidified that with his performance in Columbus.