Alabama WR Christian Lewis gives the latest
College coaches have had more time to sit down, watch tape and evaluate players a little further and one prospect that has benefitted from that is Christian Lewis.
The 6-foot-3, 185 pound wide receiver out of Pleasant Grove (Ala.) had 20 offers before COVID-19 halted much of the world, but he has added many new ones the last few weeks.
"I have picked up offers from Arkansas State, Toledo, Dartmouth, Appalachian State, South Carolina, Arkansas, UCF, Kansas, UCLA, Coastal Carolina, Wake Forest, Gardner Webb and Notre Dame since all this happened," said Lewis.
"Some of the schools that have offered were showing interest in me and some were not. I would say the biggest surprise was UCLA. I had not really heard from them, then I got the offer. Notre Dame would be another. That was a big surprise too."
Lewis new he was on the Irish's radar, but he did not expect an offer from them.
"I had heard a little from Notre Dame, so the offer was not clearly out of the blue like the one from UCLA, but when my coach told me about the offer, I was still pretty shocked.
"I then got to speak to the wide receivers coach (Del Alexander), and he talked about why they liked me and why they offered. He told me Notre Dame doesn't recruit too many from Alabama, and when they do, it is because they are special players. Coach likes my game a lot and I want to get up there to visit."
Lewis knows the basics about Notre Dame. He is aware of their history and tradition as well as their high academics standards. He can't wait to visit South Bend in the future.
There is no set date for that visit because we still don't know when recruits will be allowed back on college campuses. Things have kind of come to a halt for Lewis.
"All of this has really slowed recruiting down for me," said Lewis. "Yes, I can talk to coaches and they have been showing me through video the campus, weight room and things like that, but I need to get on campus to talk to them face-to-face, see how I feel and things like that.
"I want to see schools personally so I can see how I feel. Over the phone doesn't show me that.
"I had visits to Florida and South Carolina scheduled that I had to cancel. I was talking to Arkansas about a visit, so that is hold too. I am really just taking things slow now and waiting to get back out."
Lewis' plan all along was to narrow his list down after spring practice, but Alabama schools are done for the year and there will be no spring practice in that state, so those plans have changed too.
"I always figured I would have most of my offers by the end of spring once coaches were out and got to see me, but now, I am not sure when I will do that.
"I still have a lot of schools I want to visit. I want to get to Notre Dame, Texas A&M, UCLA, Arkansas, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and some others who have offered me. I feel like I still have a lot to see."
The word "open" was used often by Lewis and he made it clear that everyone still has a shot with him. He did say he has connected with certain coaches though and that has definitely made him interested in those schools.
"Coach Tee Martin and I have a great relationship," said Lewis. "He and Tennessee liked me early, he saw my trajectory as a receiver and I have a great connection with him.
"Coach Shinander from Nebraska, coach Smith from UAB, coach Ball from Vanderbilt and coach Dougherty from UCLA are some others I have really strong connections with right now.
"I am talking to a lot of coaches and I building a lot of good relationships. I know that will help me in the future."