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Lewis Cine NFL Draft Profile
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Lewis Cine Scouting ReportCine is a freak athlete and an instinctive player. Whether it is sideline to sideline, or coming downhill, his speed and quickness stands out. At 6’1, 200 lbs., Cine has the size to play up in the box and the athleticism to be a factor against the pass. He is a vicious hitter and looks like an old-school safety when asked to be physical. Cine has been asked to play in a two-high scheme, the single safety in a one-high scheme, and as the nickel cornerback. This bodes well for his NFL future as versatility is one of the more important traits for defensive backs today. There has been a large increase in nickel and dime packages. Cine’s play style and size may allow him to play some weakside linebacker in pass-down situations as well. Lewis is fearless against the run. There is no hesitation to attack once he diagnoses the play and he is willing to sacrifice his body. He can easily go around blocks, but has shown the ability to shed blocks as well. As we get into the depths of conference play, it will be fun to watch Cine against SEC lineman every week. His range and ability to change direction is impressive as well. His instinctual play style allows him to break on the ball with ease and put him in a position to make a play. |
Areas for ImprovementCine does his best work with the ball in front of him. When the ball is behind him in coverage, however, he can be guilty of failing to get his head around. As a result, he is unaware of where the ball is, and therefore, unable to make a play. Ball tracking is the most significant area that he needs to improve through his junior season. While he diagnoses and scrapes well in the run game, improvements are to be made in coverage. He doesn’t routinely do a good job of navigating traffic in coverage. As a result, he can be late to make a play in the passing game. |
Lewis Cine Career at GeorgiaWhile Georgia ticked his recruiting boxes, the ability to play in the SEC was also a significant factor behind turning his back on schools like Texas, Ohio State, and Michigan. While he would leave a physical mark on the SEC, Cine flashed early coverage ability as a true freshman. The Georgia safety logged a first career interception against Arkansas State, one of 14 appearances in 2019. He earned the opportunity to start in the season’s final two games, impressing with 6 tackles against LSU and Baylor. Despite the disruption of the 2020 season, Cine carried that momentum into his sophomore season. In the season opener, he logged another 6 tackles while accounting for a QB pressure. A career-high 12 tackles against South Carolina contributed to 49 total tackles on the year, good enough for second on the team. |
Lewis Cine NFL Draft Player ProfileNevertheless, games against Tennessee and Florida defined his sophomore campaign. Both contained violent, thumping tackles that rocked the opponent to their very core. The hit on Pitts in the Florida game saw the Georgia safety ejected for targeting. Although it could be argued that it was unfortunate timing — with Cine leading with his shoulder before the clash of heads — he was widely vilified. Despite this, Cine’s physicality as a tackler is one of the attributes that makes him an alluring safety in the 2022 NFL Draft class. The Georgia safety has gotten off to a phenomenal start to his junior campaign, with a team-leading 9 tackles in the win over Clemson. Furthermore, he added another interception to his résumé against UAB. When I wrote my initial observation on the class in May, Cine was in my top 10 as the seventh-ranked safety in the 2022 NFL Draft class. However, the Georgia safety has the potential to be one of the very best in the class. While a Day 2 pick is most likely due to the perceived value of the position, there is a chance Cine could force his way into the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. |
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