Dezmin Lewis to Buffalo: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

During the broadcast of the draft, Dezmin Lewis steadily stayed in Mel Kiper's best available players list following the fourth round, entering at the ninth spot before eventually making it into the top five. 

Shocked that he was still available, I quickly checked for any potential news as to why a sleeper wide receiver prospect by most accounts was falling well past his projection.

As the Buffalo Bills' final selection of the 2015 NFL draft approached, the addition of Lewis became more and more realistic. Buffalo was in need of a big receiver it could develop, and despite being deep at the position, a project receiver made a ton of sense for the team. 

Who Is Dezmin Lewis?

Lewis was an incredible talent at Central Arkansas for the better part of three seasons, finishing just shy of several records for a career at the FCS school. 

His level of competition likely was the defining factor of why he fell to the Bills in the seventh round despite a good size and speed ratio. Lewis stands at 6’4” and 215 pounds, which allowed him to make his competition look silly at times. It almost seems as if teams held his ability to use his physical attributes against opponents against him.

Lewis was consistent throughout his career, and three of the biggest games of his time at Central Arkansas came against FBS competition. In a game at Texas Tech in 2014, Lewis caught seven balls for 105 yards.

If anything, Lewis’ production at the FCS level should spell good things to come. Central Arkansas is not a high-flying team in the FCS like North Dakota State or New Hampshire; instead, Lewis was usually playing with limited talent at the quarterback position.

Bad arms and inaccuracies on passes have given Lewis a skill of making good adjustments on balls. He has also figured out how to consistently come back to the ball, a trait many young receivers struggle with in the NFL, where the defensive backs are much faster.

What Comes Next?

Lewis fills a hole left by former tight end Scott Chandler as a good red-zone target. His size and in-air adjustments make him an interesting component of the Bills offense from the moment he shows up for rookie minicamp.

The Bills are deep at wide receiver, but they don’t currently have anyone on the roster who has a similar skill set to Lewis. Sammy Watkins will be the team’s top receiver again as a generational talent, and Robert Woods assumes the starting spot on the other side. The two receivers complement each other well, with Woods’ gritty route-running skills and knack for making the big catch in single coverage.

Percy Harvin adds another layer for the increasingly explosive skill position as an all-around playmaker. Harvin also has incentive to play well this season to rehabilitate his image and earn a big payday after he goes on the market next March. Buffalo was wise to invest in that low-risk, high-reward contract.

Marquise Goodwin and Chris Hogan round out the players who expect to have guaranteed spots, but neither present similarities to the type of game Lewis models.

I don’t think the competition shift will be all that different from an ordinary rookie receiver, where the adjustment is normally difficult anyways. Lewis won’t be expected to be a major contributor from the start, but his undeniable talent makes him a player to watch over the length of his contract.