Connor Lew C Auburn |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #75 SUB-POSITION: Center | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/25/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.00 seconds (93%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 08/30/2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #75 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Center | |
| Last Updated: 03/25/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 5.00 seconds (93%*) | |
| Age: 20.11 DOB: 08/30/2005 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 84.7 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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81% |
| Run Blocking: |
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73% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
3rd
Overall Rank:
#84
Position rank:
#15 (OL)
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| College Games: 29 College Snaps: 1603 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
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247 RATING: 90/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Zach Tom - Wake Forest |
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91% |
| Drew Kendall - Boston College |
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88% |
| Jake Majors - Texas |
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85% |
Drafted: ROUND: 4 - Pick Number: 128 (CIN)
Draft Profile: Bio
Connor Lew grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia, starring on the offensive line and wrestling at Kennesaw Mountain High while carrying a 4.0 GPA. A four-star recruit rated a top-10 interior line prospect nationally by Rivals and ESPN, Lew earned all-state honors and an All-American Bowl invite. His coach asked him to try snapping midway through his freshman year, and a family beach trip to Florida became the unlikely origin of his center career, practicing snaps in the sand with his brother.At Auburn, Lew replaced injured veteran Avery Jones during the 2023 Ole Miss game, started against Mississippi State the next week, earned SEC Freshman of the Week, and never relinquished the job. He collected All-Freshman and Freshman All-America honors from PFF and 247 Sports. His sophomore year was a breakout: 12 starts, a PFF Team of the Week nod after dominating Georgia, a captaincy, and a Rimington Trophy watch list spot.
A preseason All-SEC pick and second-year captain in 2025, Lew tore his ACL in week eight against Missouri, ending his junior year at seven games. Across 29 starts and 1,603 snaps he allowed three sacks and drew eight penalties, zero accepted. He enters the draft rehabbing the knee, targeting a return by training camp.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Outstanding pre-snap processor who sniffs out stunts, twists, and delayed blitzes with a feel well beyond his age.
- Pass protection is where the tape sings. One sack allowed on 442 pass-blocking reps as a sophomore tells you everything.
- Lateral quickness that tests in elite territory for a center. Climbs to linebackers like he is playing guard.
- Wrestling background bleeds into every snap. Wins pad-level wars with hip torque and hand fighting that sustains through the whistle.
- Genuine mean streak at the point of attack. Wants to put defenders on their back, not just wall them off.
- Runs protection calls with a command that had his head coach calling him an NFL center before he declared.
- Three years of SEC starting experience dating to his true freshman season gives him a battle-tested foundation few centers can match.
- Reach-blocking ability against wide three-techniques is uncommon. Gets to his landmark fast on outside zone and sustains.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- The torn ACL from October 2025 looms large. Recovery timeline likely keeps him from full participation until training camp.
- Run blocking never matched his pass protection across three years, and the 2025 tape showed regression before the injury hit.
- Falls forward in pass sets more than you want, particularly late in games. Quick swim moves will feast on that habit.
- Hand timing on initial contact grew predictable by 2025. Defenders sat on his first punch and he rarely adjusted mid-game.
- True nose tackles with a size advantage can still walk him back. Adding functional strength without losing mobility is critical.
Scouting Report: Summary
Lew's sophomore pass protection tape is what sells you on this player. He looked like a polished veteran reading pressure and keeping his quarterback upright with rare composure for a teenager. His lateral movement and reach-blocking on outside zone separate him from most centers in this class. But the 2025 film told a different story before the knee even gave out, with run-blocking reps closer to his freshman tape than the guy who dominated Georgia. Auburn lost starters around him and the whole line regressed, but that film is there and it matters.The ACL changes the math. He almost certainly cannot compete for a starting job in September. Zone-heavy schemes that lean on his lateral agility rather than asking him to anchor against 340-pound noses every snap give him the best path, because winning that size battle is something he has not done consistently at the college level.
The long view is a starter with real upside if the knee cooperates and he adds strength without losing his movement skills. He is only 20 with three years of SEC reps, elite athleticism, and pre-snap processing that translates immediately. But this is not a plug-and-play pick. A patient organization that develops him behind a veteran stands to benefit most.
Connor Lew percentiles vs other Centers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Connor Lew (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
72.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
17.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
