University of Central Arkansas wide receiver Dezmin Lewis has definitely caught the eye of the National Football League (NFL) in the past few months.
Lewis, a 6-foot-3-inch, 215 pound senior from Mesquite, Texas, was invited to participate in the prestigious Reese’s Senior Bowl in January. The bowl, which began in 1950, brings together the best college football players in the nation for an All-Star game that is played in front of scouts and officials from every NFL team. Lewis is just the second player in UCA history to play in the Senior Bowl, joining former quarterback and current UCA offensive coordinator Nathan Brown.
Shortly after his solid showing at the Senior Bowl, Lewis received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in February. The Combine is a vital event in any player’s path to the NFL and brings together 300 of the top football players in the nation for a week of evaluations, ranging from on-field drills to mental evaluations, interviews and physical testing sessions.
Lewis also proved his worth and showed his skills when scouts came to UCA Pro Day on March 11 that featured Lewis and several other UCA seniors.
Lewis finished his UCA career second in receptions (197) and third in receiving yards (2,618) and receiving touchdowns (24).
“Dezmin Lewis is a great player, a great young man, and he’s going to be a great pro,” said UCA head football coach Steve Campbell. “I’ve had five guys that I’ve coached go to the Senior Bowl; he’s my sixth. I told him, ‘Dezmin, you deserve to be there. You deserve it.’ All five of those guys went on to play in the NFL, and Dezmin doesn’t take a backseat to any of those guys. He had a great senior year and great career for us at UCA, and he’s going to have a great professional career.”
Lewis showcased his potential for a promising career when he was drafted during the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the New York Buffalo Bills. Lewis is the tallest wide receiver on the Bills’ roster, giving him an advantage to compete for one of the highly coveted spots on the 53-man football team.