He said he didn’t include the Vols in his group of favorites earlier this month because he “just couldn’t see myself in Tennessee.” But he’s still keeping an open mind because of their persistence in pursuing him.
“Even though they did not make my top, they’re still texting me and calling me, still trying to have a conversation with me,” said Lewis, who’s ranked the No. 53 cornerback in the 2022 class and the No. 20 junior from Tennessee, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite. “I just appreciate that. Hopefully in the future, when I drop my top five, Tennessee can be in that picture.”
Lewis said he plans to name a top five in July after taking all five of his official visits next month. He said he then intends to announce his college decision on July 29.
“I’ve been talking to my coaches about it,” he said. “They say that’s a good time to commit — go ahead and get it out of the way.”
Asked whether the five schools hosting him on official visits are his current top five, he said, “You could say that.”
Lewis is scheduled to travel to Michigan State on his first official visit the weekend of June 4, and he plans to visit Memphis the weekend of June 11 before heading to Auburn for a midweek visit on June 15-17. Arkansas is set to host him the weekend of June 18, while Indiana will get his fifth and final official visit the weekend of June 25.
He said “Arkansas, Indiana and Auburn” are the three schools standing out to him going into his official visits. But he’s not leaning toward any particular team at the moment.
“The official visits are really going to decide it — official visits and me talking to God and my family,” Lewis said.
He said there’s “a 95-percent chance” he will attend the same school as Class of 2022 defensive back Anthony Brown of Milan (Tenn.) High School, one of his 7-on-7 teammates who plays for Middle Tennessee-based Elite 3. Brown named a top 12 on May 5 that included Auburn, Arkansas, Indiana, Memphis and Tennessee.
“We’ve seen each other play and stuff like that,” Lewis said of Brown. “He respects my game. I respect his. We just got closer this year. During the pandemic, we just got closer and we just started working together, and that work ethic just turned into a brotherhood.”
Despite having a busy schedule for next month and having his sights primarily set on five other schools, Lewis said Tennessee is still on his radar. That’s why he’s planning to take another look at the Vols.
“I’ll go to Tennessee on an unofficial,” Lewis said. “They were the first school I went to a football camp at when I was going into my sophomore year, so I’ll take an unofficial to Tennessee.”
He said he’s hearing from first-year Tennessee coach
Josh Heupel’s staff “every day,” led by defensive backs coach
Willie Martinez, defensive coordinator
Tim Banks and Heupel. He said the Vols are telling him, “We’re still here. We’re still chasing you,” and have made it clear that they could use his help in the secondary.
“They’re, like, low on DBs right now,” Lewis said, “so that’s basically what they’re saying.”
