Background
Connor Lew grew up in Kennesaw, Georgia, and attended Kennesaw Mountain High School, where he starred on the offensive line and wrestled while carrying a 4.0 GPA all four years. A four-star recruit rated a top-10 interior line prospect nationally, he earned all-state honors and an All-American Bowl invitation. He originally committed to Miami before flipping to Auburn in December of his senior year. His coach asked him to try snapping midway through his freshman year, and his center career began with him practicing snaps in the sand during a family beach trip to Florida with his brother. He replaced injured veteran Avery Jones during the 2023 Ole Miss game and never gave the job back, collecting All-Freshman and Freshman All-America honors. His sophomore year was a breakout: 12 starts and a Rimington Trophy watch list spot. He returned as a team captain in 2025 but tore his ACL in October against Missouri, ending his season. Career totals: three sacks allowed across 914 pass-blocking snaps. He declared for the 2026 NFL Draft as a true junior at just 20 years old.
Physical Attributes
Lew could not complete any athletic testing on field because of the aforementioned ACL tear. He did, however, put up a very impressive 31 reps on the bench. At the combine his measurables were 6'3.5" 310 lbs, 9" hands, 32.38" arms. He has weird posture in his blocks, vacillating between too upright and leaning too much. His base is strong, but he can struggle with power. As a mover in space he is fine, but does not look like he excels at it.
Data and Tape Analysis
If you are unfamiliar with my OL radar charts, you can find more information here
Lew, along with the rest of the Auburn Tigers, had a down year on the Plains. Expectations for him and the team came in high after a promising 2024 season and some important additions. Speaking of that 2024 season, if you believe in Lew as a prospect you believe in this:
Did I mention that the 2024 season was as a 19-year-old true sophomore in the SEC? One where he played Alabama, Georgia, A&M, Oklahoma, and Missouri, all of whom had NFL players on their defensive lines. Yeah, that is super impressive. He won't even turn 21 until the season starts.
So what are we seeing here that a player who tore his ACL and could easily stay at school another year went to the NFL, and I have to say I am not too sure? Lew moves well and absorbs contact decently well. His foot speed allows him to mirror well, and that is a necessary skill to have because he does not ID danger nearly fast enough. Power gives him fits in the run and pass game, as his base is not currently strong or technical enough to deal with it.
Grade and Outlook
I am not sure what to do here. There is an idea of a player here, but I am struggling to see it. Being as young as he is and having that season at 19, I will hold out some hope for Lew, but I think the development curve on this one might be too long for most teams' tastes.
Grade: 5.0 (Late 3rd Rounder / Early 4th Rounder)
