New York Giants: WR Roger Lewis Overcomes Obstacles, Earns Praise
The New York Giants signed former Bowling Green State wideout Roger Lewis as an undrafted free agent in May. Despite an uphill battle, he’s been impressive.
Wide receivers hoping to crack the New York Giants depth chart have a steep hill to climb. One particular wideout must overcome additional obstacles to crack the final 53-man roster, but he’s well on his way to becoming an offseason standout.
The Giants signed Bowling Green State wide receiver Roger Lewis as an undrafted free agent in May. Before signing on the dotted line, he came into the organization with some baggage.
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According to NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, Lewis isn’t a stranger to legal issues:
"In February of 2012, Lewis was meant to be announcing which school he would be attending. Instead, he was in jail facing two charges of felony rape. Eventually he was found not guilty of one count and accepted three years’ probation after pleading down to falsification in exchange for dismissal of the rape charge."
Lewis played a season at Jireh Prep School before attending Bowling Green State. In his second year playing at a Division I school, he led the MAC conference in receiving yards (1,544) and touchdowns (16).
Zierlein projected the Bowling Green State product as a fifth- or sixth-round pick, but Lewis’ previous legal issues and inferior competition likely hurt his draft stock. The Giants opted to bring him into the fold and potentially add another exceptional talent at the wide receiver position.
According to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan, via the team’s official website, Lewis also faces the spread offense stigma that follows quarterbacks and receivers into the professional realm. Fortunately, he’s responded well to coaching:
"The young man has come in and shown the ability to make the tough catches. He separates and competes well. [He] has made mistakes like they all do. There was huge learning curve from the system he was in [during] college to what he’s asked to do here. But coach Adam Henry, our receivers coach, does a phenomenal job with all the receivers, not just teaching the fundamentals but also the scheme. So, we’ve seen some good things from Roger. [We’re] excited to have him in the mix."
Despite a huge schematic learning curve, Lewis’ ability to make the tough catches translates from college to the pros. In that regard, he’s impressed the coaching staff and caught the media’s eye during practices.
After the final mandatory minicamp session, head coach Ben McAdoo also spoke about the undrafted wide receiver’s receptiveness to coaching, per the team’s official website:
"The advantage Roger has going forward is he’s willing to work at it. He keeps his mouth shut and he listens. He takes his coaching. He’s around a veteran quarterback who’s interested in spending time in developing young players."
Two local reporters felt the need to ask about Lewis. McAdoo and Sullivan readily provided positive feedback on the wide receiver’s work, which bodes well for his chances at sticking around throughout the summer.
Lewis’ collegiate resume reflects his on-field talents. Coaches can’t overlook his ball-tracking skills.
According to McAdoo, he’s learning to improve his technical skills to combat against the pros. As a young talent with the ability to beat defenders downfield, he’ll have a legitimate opportunity to challenge for a permanent roster spot with an impressive training camp and preseason.
Currently, Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz seem locked into starting three-wide receiver sets.
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Dwayne Harris has an edge at the No. 4 spot due to experience and special teams capabilities. If Lewis continues to show improvement, he could secure the No. 5 spot as a rookie. Injuries during the season may allow the undrafted free agent to see the field late in the season.
The Bowling Green State wideout must jump through multiple hoops to earn a roster spot, but his talent keeps that objective in arms reach.