A talented athlete with the physical tools needed to make the transition to the NFL, Ronnell Lewis is a "tweener" who lacks a true fit at the next level. A 1.5-year starter with just 14 career starts for the Sooners, Lewis totaled 119 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, nine pass breakups, and two interceptions over the course of his career in Norman; his best statistical season came during his junior season in 2011 when he recorded 60 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five pass breakups, and one interception. Owning an ideal build for an outside rush linebacker, Ronnell has a great combination of size, strength (36 reps on bench), and speed (4.68 40). As a pass rusher, Lewis offers a ton of versatility after having lined up both with his hand on the ground at end as well as standing up at linebacker. With good short-area quickness, Ronnell owns the quick feet needed to weave in and out of traffic in pursuit of the quarterback. He doesn't own great explosion or an elite burst, but possesses enough acceleration needed to get the job done at the next level and has shown the quick change of direction skills that you look for at the position.. His speed is more evident with his range than with his ability to rush the passer, as he doesn't show the ability to consistently run the arc. Lewis is a physical player with the strength needed to fight his way through blocks; he will need further refinement of his pass rush repertoire, however he has the type of upper body strength where he could really develop quickly if he improved his hand use. He was able to get by on his physical tools in college, however that won't be the case in the NFL. As a run defender, Ronnell projects better as a linebacker than at end at the next level, as he doesn't own the lower body strength needed to consistently set the edge or anchor at the point of attack. He owns long enough arms (32 inches) as well as the upper body strength to extend out and attempt to hold his ground, however he also doesn't play with the consistent technique and fundamentals that you look for and will need to improve his inconsistent discipline here. Lewis understands how to locate the ball in the backfield and flow to ball carrier, however he doesn't show the type of instincts and awareness needed to read or diagnose plays and will be step late at times because of it; he's as raw from a mental standpoint as he is with his technique and hand use. Part of the reason for Ronnell's average production at Oklahoma is as a result of being moved back and forth from end to linebacker without being given the chance to develop and learn the nuances of one position, shown in his inconsistent instincts, however his raw technique and lack great hand use also played a part here. While he doesn't play with the type of non-stop motor that you look for, he will take advantage of being in proper position and embraces the chance to run down a running back or quarterback in the backfield; he has the range to play inside out from the linebacker position and when in position to make the tackle, he has shown the consistent ability to either wrap up by cutting the legs out from underneath the runner or apply a bit hit to the ball carrier. Lewis is an explosive tackler and will provide some impressive plays with his range, physical attitude, and upper body strength when bringing down the runner. Durability could be a question mark with Ronnell after he missed two games during his junior year with a knee injury and missed another two games during his junior year with a sprained MCL. In addition, character and work ethic question marks are sure to be concerns with teams after Ronnell was suspended for the team's bowl game against Iowa this season for poor grades; academics were considered a reason for his early entry, so teams will surely look into his questionable work ethic off the field. I project that Lewis will be drafted in the third-to-fourth round. Ronnell Lewis is an intriguing pass rushing prospect because of the physical tools that he offers, however it's hard to be optimistic with a player who has injury questions, didn't get the job done in the classroom off the field, and never appeared to be an overly productive player for his team. Lewis projects favorably as a 3-4 outside rush linebacker where the wide alignment outside could give him a better opportunity to rush the passer at the next level. In the 4-3 defense, he either projects as a pass rush specialist at end or as a developmental project as a WILL linebacker, however he projects far better in the 3-4 than 4-3. Lewis is still a raw prospect who needs quite a bit of development, however he has the physical tools to develop into a productive starting rush linebacker for a team in the NFL; it's just a question of how quickly he can develop, how well he can learn a complex defense, and how much work he will put in off the field. Because he has high upside but so many questions at the same time, Lewis has the makings of being a boom-or-bust prospect. Notes: Ronnell was named first-team All-Big 12 as a junior in 2011. A former top recruit coming out of Dewar High School in Oklahoma, Ronnell was rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 4 outside linebacker and No. 44 overall player in the country, as well as the No. 2 player in the state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com; he committed to the Sooners during the spring of his junior year of high school. Ronnell played eight-man football in high school where he starred as a running back and linebacker; between his junior and senior seasons, he rushed for 4,219 yards and 73 touchdowns in addition to tallying 156 tackles as a senior and intercepting 11 passes as a junior.