Isaiah Lewis gaining NFL draft buzz

Former Buffs safety Isaiah Lewis has reportedly garnered interest from several NFL teams ahead of the draft

The Colorado Buffaloes football program has been a big talking point since the spring game with players leaving Boulder following the first live-action in the Deion Sanders era.

However, with the 2023 NFL draft coming up, there is at least one former Buffs player drawing interest: safety Isaiah Lewis. NFL insider Tanner Phifer mentioned that Lewis has garnered quite a bit of interest from a number of teams, including the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys, among a number of others.

Lewis played in 43 career games and had 19 starts for Colorado, and he should be a name to watch for the next week, especially with all of the undrafted free agents.

In Lewis’ time in Boulder, he totaled 132 career tackles with 3.5 sacks and three interceptions.

The Buffs’ defense had a rough few years, but Lewis had been one of the bright spots and should at least get a look at a training camp invite.

Nate Landman and Carson Wells were the two Buffs last year who left for the NFL, and maybe Lewis can catch on to a 53-man roster.

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How did CU’s pro day compare to NFL combine numbers?

A few pro day Buffs compared well to NFL combine players

The Colorado Buffaloes held their 31st annual pro day on Wednesday with nine players participating. Pro days are held across the country for college players hoping to make the NFL. Scouts from 16 different NFL teams were in attendance to watch the Buffaloes’ talent showcase their skills.

College pro days are a great way for anyone who may not have been invited to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis to get in front of scouts. No CU player was able to snag an invite to the NFL combine, but that doesn’t mean the NFL is not in their future. A breakout performance at a college pro day can propel you into a tryout, or even better, becoming a draft pick. But how did this year’s CU group stack up against the players who were at the combine?

Thanks to Horton Barbell, we can compare each pro day Buff to the average NFL combine numbers for their position:

Slew of CU Buffs dealing with injuries during Arizona week

The Buffs are a little banged up heading into Arizona

The injury bug is finally starting to hit the Colorado Buffaloes, who at 0-4 obviously don’t need any more problems.

On Monday, head coach Karl Dorrell gave updates on a few key players currently dealing with injuries. First up, running back Alex Fontenot is still down with a chest bruise that he suffered during the Air Force game. He is “probably doubtful” for Saturday’s game against Arizona. Safety Isaiah Lewis and wide receiver Chase Sowell, both of whom got banged up against UCLA, are also unlikely to play in Tucson.

Tight end Brady Russell suffered what looked like a severe ankle injury in the UCLA game, but we received some good news when Dorrell said it was a low-grade sprain. Russell is day-to-day, per Dorrell.

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Isaiah Lewis drops interesting comments on leadership from past and present Buffs teams

The all-around leadership has been better this season for the Buffs

The 2021 season was a rough one for the Colorado Buffaloes. The offseason was even more difficult. A number of high-profile players transferred, including a few to other Pac-12 programs.

Some assistants left for other jobs, and Karl Dorrell’s name floated around as a hot seat candidate, although Pac-12 expert Jon Wilner insists Dorrell shouldn’t be worried.

Now, with the 2022 season right around the corner, Buffs safety Isaiah Lewis spoke about his new leadership role and how this team is different than the past teams he has been a part of (h/t Brian Howell of BuffZone).

“It’s critical,” Lewis said. “That’s been the missing component here for the past couple of years is we’ve not really had a significant leader on the team. We’ve had a lot of guys who give their ‘rah-rah’ and we trust what they say, but there hasn’t been a set group of guys who the young guys or even the less experienced guys can count on and that’s the biggest difference is we’ve got those guys now.”

The most interesting part is that Lewis said that has been the missing component. So, leadership was missing, but now it has arrived in Boulder.

It might not be easy for players such as Lewis and Alex Fontenot, who are at the end of their collegiate careers, to prepare for what should be another rough season. But, nonetheless, they are embracing their roles as leaders.

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Buffs’ seniors embracing leadership role in 2022

Leadership is key for any team and the Buffs have plenty of it

The Colorado Buffaloes aren’t expected to win very many games in 2022. They were also picked to finish last in the Pac-12 in the preseason media poll.

As such, it could be a difficult year, especially for the seniors, some of whom have been in Boulder for their entire college careers. However, they are still embracing their roles as team leaders.

Both seniors Alex Fontenot and Isaiah Lewis are enjoying their larger roles on the team, and that is a positive step for these players (h/t Brian Howell of BuffZone).

“They come in, they’re all flustered, they don’t really get how certain stuff works,” Fontenot said. “So I have to pull them to the side and explain to them, ‘No, you do this, this and that.’ They’re understanding and I just gotta keep them on the right track.”

The running back room looks much different than last season, so Alex Fontenot should be used quite frequently with Deion Smith alongside.

Lewis, who is expected to be one of the Buffs’ best players, also spoke about his new role with the team and how close the connections are between the entire roster.

“Tremendous difference (from the past),” Lewis said. “Those freshmen are relying on the seniors to give them that information and so are the coaches, because they’re not with them like we are all day. The seniors taking on that leadership role has been something that’s been working out for us.”

If the Buffs can work together, who knows? Perhaps they shock everybody and win more games than many think they will.

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Karl Dorrell’s third year has Isaiah Lewis feeling good

Isaiah Lewis talked about the Buffs’ growing stability entering Karl Dorrell’s third year

Isaiah Lewis has seen a lot of turnover during his time at Colorado, but the sixth-year safety is seeing a change with the 2022 iteration of the Buffs. Lewis spoke with the media after Thursday’s practice, quote courtesy of Neil Woelk with CUBuffs.com:

“We undoubtedly needed that stability, that feeling that we are going in the right direction,” Lewis said after Thursday’s practice. “We needed that trust, the accountability and maturity that comes with that across the board. You can feel a different level of confidence now.”

Confidence has been noticeable around camp this offseason, as our own Matt Wadleigh noted a few days ago. This is a welcome sign that the players are also feeding off of this feeling, especially given how most of them experienced a rough offseason of attrition, and most were around for the coaching changes caused by Mel Tucker’s departure.

Lewis has stepped up in playing more a leadership role on a defense that is in major need of new voices after the loss of all-time greats Carson Wells and Nate Landman.

“Our coaching staff has put an emphasis on leadership at every position group,” Lewis said. “We have a team of guys who want to be here and play for Colorado. It’s my job to lend the benefits of my experience and help everyone grow.

Five Buffaloes receive preseason All-Pac-12 honorable mention

Five Buffs were given All-Pac-12 preseason recognition

Five members of the 2022 Colorado Buffaloes football team received an honorable mention on the All-Pac-12 preseason team: Frank Fillip, Terrance Lang, Jalen Sami, Isaiah Lewis and Nikko Reed.

No Buffs were named to the first or second team.

Fillip is looking to rebound from a down year after an impressive 2020 season. Fillip will likely get the nod as the starting RT for the Buffs and is coming off an offseason in which he was able to fully participate.

Lang and Sami will both lead the defensive line in hopes of recapturing the success it had against Texas A&M for almost a full game last season.

Lewis and Reed should help to shore up a defensive backfield that has been hit with a lot of turnover this offseason. Lewis will be entering his final year at CU, while Reed, who was named an honorable mention as a return specialist, is entering his second season.

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Final team-by-team stat leaders for the 2021 Pac-12 football season

Buffaloes Wire compiles the final stat leaders for each Pac-12 team from the 2021 football season.

It was a wild Pac-12 football season in 2021.

The Oregon Ducks stunned Ohio State in the Horseshoe, and Ducks safety Verone McKinley III tied for the national lead with six interceptions.

Utah won the Pac-12 Championship Game for the first time in school history and made its debut in the Rose Bowl. Washington State ended a seven-year losing streak against Washington in the Apple Cup. UCLA reclaimed the Victory Bell from the USC Trojans, but Lincoln Riley might have something to say about that next season.

With all that in mind, Buffaloes Wire compiles the 2021 season leaders in passing, rushing, receiving, tackling, sacks and interceptions for each Pac-12 team below.

Also see:
Ranking the Pac-12 football coach salaries

Best Michigan State football recruit from every state since the year 2000

Michigan State is under a new national approach to recruiting. Take a look at the best recruit from each state since the year 2000.

Recruiting is an integral part of building a college football team and as many fans know, the way a team recruits is usually what makes or breaks them. Many Michigan State fans are used to the Spartans focusing heavily on recruiting the midwest, and Michigan or Ohio in particular. Mel Tucker has a new mindset when it comes to recruiting and it is expected that the Spartans will be going from coast to coast to find members of their recruiting classes going forward.

Michigan State will soon be building pipelines in many new states and Spartan fans will get used to seeing faces from many different areas of the country come to East Lansing.

With Michigan State taking this new approach to recruiting and signing day having recently just passed, it felt fitting that we go back and find the best recruit from every state on record according to the 247Sports composite rankings that go back to the year 2000.

There are 24 states represented on this list.

This list includes JUCO (Junior College) transfers and will include members of the 2021 recruiting class that have signed their letters of intent earlier this month.