Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
A Big Man From A Small Town
April 11, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – Listed at 6-foot-8, 345-pounds, Percy Lewis is certainly difficult to miss these days.
Yet somehow Lewis was largely overlooked by college recruiters coming out of McAdams High School, a Class 1A program in Attala County, Mississippi, two years ago.
"I came from a small school so nobody really knew who I was," Lewis said. "I didn't really have any exposure like I could have."
So the First Team All-State performer took his size and talents down to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where plenty of people have noticed the massive offensive lineman over the past two seasons.
Lewis was a consensus four-star prospect and ascended to the No. 2 junior college prospect in the country. Suddenly, the guy from the tiny town of Sallis (population 236) who went virtually overlooked in high school had double-digit scholarship offers representing every conference in the Power 5.
"The only thing I can do is thank God for it," Lewis said. "I really surprised myself, but I really wasn't expecting all that. I just thank God for it because He continues to bless me."
Lewis committed to Oregon last spring and kept his pledge to the Ducks through November. Once he reopened his recruitment, Mississippi State was able to convince the talented offensive lineman to come on an official visit in December and sign him less than two weeks later.
"My relationship with the coaches and Charles Cross are really the main reason I chose Mississippi State," Lewis said. "Charles and I are still communicating. Seeing him projected as a first-rounder motivates me. If he can do it with coach (Mason) Miller coaching him, then I'm going to come in here and work even harder than he did."
Although Cross and Lewis are only one year apart and both grew up in the Magnolia State, they didn't meet until last fall when Lewis attended one of the Bulldogs' games. The two exchanged phone numbers and social media information and have been in constant contact ever since.
Cross' decision to declare for the NFL Draft and his forecast as a future first-round pick weighed heavily on Lewis' choice to try and follow in his footsteps at MSU.
"That influenced me a lot because I know for a fact that there's going to be scouts coming back to Mississippi State because they just had a first-round pick," Lewis said. "If they just had a first-round pick from here, why wouldn't they come back?"
Lewis enrolled at State in January and has embraced the Bulldogs' strength and conditioning program. He quickly started to trim down and saw his quickness and energy levels climb.
"I've already lost 35-40 pounds and feel a whole lot better," Lewis said. "I'm moving around a whole lot better. I used to be in the bed but now I'm up early, even when I'm out late. I've got to get up out of that bed and get to moving around."
Lewis is hoping to be somewhere in the 325-330 pound range by the time camp arrives in August. Right now though, the junior is receiving most of the reps at left tackle during spring practices in an attempt to fill the void left by Cross at left tackle.
Lewis' efforts both on and off the field have already made an impression on his new head coach, Mike Leach.
"He's worked really hard and lost quite a bit of weight, which he needed to do," Leach said. "He's got naturally good feet. When somebody comes at him, he just flat out stops them. He's still getting the scheme and things so there's some growing pains there. But most of what I've seen is all positive."
Â
Yet somehow Lewis was largely overlooked by college recruiters coming out of McAdams High School, a Class 1A program in Attala County, Mississippi, two years ago.
"I came from a small school so nobody really knew who I was," Lewis said. "I didn't really have any exposure like I could have."
So the First Team All-State performer took his size and talents down to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where plenty of people have noticed the massive offensive lineman over the past two seasons.
Lewis was a consensus four-star prospect and ascended to the No. 2 junior college prospect in the country. Suddenly, the guy from the tiny town of Sallis (population 236) who went virtually overlooked in high school had double-digit scholarship offers representing every conference in the Power 5.
"The only thing I can do is thank God for it," Lewis said. "I really surprised myself, but I really wasn't expecting all that. I just thank God for it because He continues to bless me."
Lewis committed to Oregon last spring and kept his pledge to the Ducks through November. Once he reopened his recruitment, Mississippi State was able to convince the talented offensive lineman to come on an official visit in December and sign him less than two weeks later.
"My relationship with the coaches and Charles Cross are really the main reason I chose Mississippi State," Lewis said. "Charles and I are still communicating. Seeing him projected as a first-rounder motivates me. If he can do it with coach (Mason) Miller coaching him, then I'm going to come in here and work even harder than he did."
Although Cross and Lewis are only one year apart and both grew up in the Magnolia State, they didn't meet until last fall when Lewis attended one of the Bulldogs' games. The two exchanged phone numbers and social media information and have been in constant contact ever since.
Cross' decision to declare for the NFL Draft and his forecast as a future first-round pick weighed heavily on Lewis' choice to try and follow in his footsteps at MSU.
"That influenced me a lot because I know for a fact that there's going to be scouts coming back to Mississippi State because they just had a first-round pick," Lewis said. "If they just had a first-round pick from here, why wouldn't they come back?"
Lewis enrolled at State in January and has embraced the Bulldogs' strength and conditioning program. He quickly started to trim down and saw his quickness and energy levels climb.
"I've already lost 35-40 pounds and feel a whole lot better," Lewis said. "I'm moving around a whole lot better. I used to be in the bed but now I'm up early, even when I'm out late. I've got to get up out of that bed and get to moving around."
Lewis is hoping to be somewhere in the 325-330 pound range by the time camp arrives in August. Right now though, the junior is receiving most of the reps at left tackle during spring practices in an attempt to fill the void left by Cross at left tackle.
Lewis' efforts both on and off the field have already made an impression on his new head coach, Mike Leach.
"He's worked really hard and lost quite a bit of weight, which he needed to do," Leach said. "He's got naturally good feet. When somebody comes at him, he just flat out stops them. He's still getting the scheme and things so there's some growing pains there. But most of what I've seen is all positive."
Â
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballFOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Jeff Lebby
Friday, April 03
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Kolin Wilson
Thursday, April 02
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - LJ Prudhomme
Thursday, April 02
FOOTBALL | 2026 Spring Practice Media Session - Tanner Johnson
Thursday, April 02