Marcus Lewis Sets Decision Date: Is 4-Star CB Headed to SEC or ACC?

Feb. 3 will be the big day for Washington, D.C., 4-star cornerback Marcus Lewis. He announced Monday that he will choose either Miami or Kentucky.

With 33 offers, Lewis will make a decision to either play in the ACC or in the SEC in exactly one week. Speaking with Lewis, both schools are on equal as of now.

A favorite? Lewis said he may have one closer to the announcement day. What Lewis did express, however, was his overall appreciation for the recruiting process. He will close a chapter of his life and open a new one after committing to and decommitting from Virginia Tech as a junior and then committing to Florida in April before decommitting in July

"The recruiting process has treated me great. I'm extremely blessed to have schools offer me a scholarship to come to their school," Lewis said. "It was stressful at times, but I got through it.

"I'm excited to finally end it. It seems like it's been going on forever. I'm just ready to start getting ready for my college career."

A 6'1", 187-pound defensive back with sprinter's speed, Lewis is a disciplined defender who could become a premier cover guy in tight-man situations because of his size.

Lewis said both schools are giving him the opportunity to play early, but his decision will come down to overall comfort. He's being recruited to Miami by defensive backs coach Paul Williams. He's being recruited to Kentucky by receivers coach Tommy Mainord and cornerbacks coach Derrick Ansley.

"For Miami, it has great tradition," Lewis said. "A lot of great players have come through Miami, and they have a lot of players in the [pro] league. I have a lot of respect for Coach Williams and Coach [Al] Golden. They've been recruiting me for over a year. I love the campus; it's in a unique environment.

"For Kentucky, I love the atmosphere. They bleed blue and white down there. Coach [Mark] Stoops has put a lot of defensive backs in the league from his days at Arizona to Kentucky. I respect those guys a lot. Coach Ansley has been recruiting me since the beginning of my sophomore year. I love those guys. It's a great opportunity for me."

Miami has three defensive backs in its 2015 class. Birmingham, Alabama, cornerback Michael Jackson and Miami safety Robert Knowles both are 3-star athletes, per 247Sports.com. The third defensive back, 4-star safety Jaquan Johnson, is on campus as an early enrollee.

While Miami has 19 commits, Kentucky has 17, and four of them are defensive backs. If Lewis chooses the Wildcats, he'll join 4-star safety David Dowell as well as 3-star talents in Dayton, Ohio, cornerback Kei Beckham; Orange Park, Florida, cornerback Chris Westry; and Lake Wales, Florida, safety Marcus Walker.

Lewis is the nation's eighth-ranked cornerback. He also is ranked the No. 2 player in the District of Columbia behind Alabama offensive lineman commit Richard Petitbon.

Wherever he ends up, Lewis is expected to boost a recruiting class. Competition will be at both schools, and Lewis most likely will play cornerback at the next level but is versatile enough to line up at safety if necessary.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were retrieved firsthand. All player ratings are from 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon on Twitter: @DamonSayles