BREAKING: JUCO DT Taylor Lewis picks Arkansas, completes '22 class
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Arkansas has finally put the finishing touches on its 2022 signing class.
Junior college defensive tackle Taylor Lewis announced he’d continue his college career with the Razorbacks on Tuesday, taking up the final scholarship they had available for incoming players.
The decision came just a few days after he completed an official visit to Fayetteville, which apparently left quite the impression on him and led to him picking Arkansas over the likes of Oregon State, Washington State, Nebraska, Missouri and others.
“I feel it’s the whole package,” Lewis said. “It’s away from everything, but still things around to do. It’s in the SEC. The coaches love me and I love the coaches. They are in it for the right reasons. Most importantly, the head man — coach Sam Pittman — everything he stands for, I stand for.”
A 6-foot-3, 300-pound prospect originally from Chicago, Lewis spent the last three years at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif.
As a sophomore, Lewis made 18 tackles — including 1.5 for loss — and one pass breakup in six games, earning him multiple postseason accolades. He was a unanimous first-team All-SCFA selection and also landed on the Region III All-California Community College team.
That followed a freshman year in 2019 when he made 19 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks, in eight games. (College of the Canyons did not play a season in the 2020-21 school year because of the pandemic.)
With the Razorbacks, Lewis has three years to play two. His redshirt is still available because the 2020 season does to count toward his eligibility.
He is the fourth transfer defensive lineman Arkansas has landed, but the first from the JUCO ranks. The other three came from other FBS schools via the portal: defensive ends Landon Jackson and Jordan Domineck from LSU and Georgia Tech, respectively, and defensive tackle Terry Hampton from Arkansas State.
Lewis and Hampton join a rather light group of defensive tackles with the Razorbacks. Prior to their decisions, the only scholarship players at the position were Isaiah Nichols, Taurean Carter, Cameron Ball and Marcus Miller.