2019 Football Roster
Roster
Leo Lewis
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 245
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Brookhaven, MS
- High School/Previous School:
- Brookhaven HS
2016 FWAA Freshman All-American
2016 SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year (Athlon Sports)
2016 All-SEC Freshman Team (Coaches)
2016 SEC Freshman of the Week (at Ole Miss)
CAREER: Veteran, instinctive linebacker who was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs … Played the WILL spot and was part of one of the top trios in the SEC at the position, which also featured Erroll Thompson and Willie Gay Jr. … Claimed SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2016 by Athlon Sports and was also a Freshman All-America selection that same fall … Played in 51 games with 48 starts and recorded 235 tackles, including 14.0 for loss and three sacks … Forced one fumble and recovered two … Arrived at MSU as the top inside linebacker prospect in the nation … Graduated from MSU in December 2019 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
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2019 SENIOR SEASON: Started all 13 games at WILL linebacker … Finished fourth on the team in tackles with 65 … Turned in a career-high 5.5 tackles for loss … Added one sack, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries … Led the team and equaled a career high in tackles with 12 vs. Kansas State (9/14) … Added 0.5 TFL and one pass breakup … Tied for the team lead in tackles with eight, his most in an SEC game on the season, at No. 7 Auburn (9/28) … Logged one TFL, forced one fumble and recovered two fumbles against the Tigers … Became the first MSU player to recover multiple fumbles in a single game since at least 2000 … Registered a season-high 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack and seven total tackles vs. No. 2 LSU (10/19) … Totaled four tackles, including one for lost yardage, in the Egg Bowl win vs. Ole Miss (11/28).
2018 JUNIOR SEASON: Started 10 of 12 games played … Made 45 tackles, including three for loss … Recorded at least one tackle in 11 games … 31 of his 45 tackles were recorded in SEC games … Did not start vs. Arkansas and did not play at No. 1 Alabama … Opened the season with a pair of tackles, including one for loss, vs. Stephen F. Austin (9/1) … Turned in season highs in tackles (8) and tackles for loss (1.5) vs. Louisiana (9/15) … Tallied five tackles with four being of the solo variety at Kentucky (9/22) … Followed up with six stops vs. Florida (9/29) … Collected five tackles in the big win vs. No. 8 Auburn (10/6) to give him 24 during that four-game stretch … Logged four tackles, including 0.5 for loss, in the victory vs. No. 16 Texas A&M (10/27) … Registered four tackles vs. Arkansas (11/17) and at Ole Miss (11/22).
2017 SOPHOMORE SEASON: Started 12 games at one of the inside linebacker positions in the 3-4 … Did not start Week 2 … Collected 46 tackles with one tackle for loss … Notched a season-best eight tackles and forced his first career fumble in win vs. No. 11 LSU (9/16) … Tallied 0.5 tackle for loss at Louisiana Tech (9/9) … Had three tackles in four straight games – at Georgia, at Auburn, BYU and Kentucky … Matched his season-best and led the team with eight tackles in road win at No. 24 Texas A&M (10/28) … Notched 0.5 tackle for loss vs. Ole Miss (11/23).
2016 REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON: The first Football Writers Association Freshman All-American in MSU history … Accumulated 79 tackles in his debut season, which led all SEC freshmen and was 30 better than the next closest one … Ranked 13th among all players in the league in tackles and added 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack … Ranked seventh nationally in tackles among freshmen … Selected as the SEC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year by Athlon Sports … Started all 13 games at Will linebacker …  Produced the highest tackle total by an MSU freshman since Benardrick McKinney (now with Houston Texans) in 2012 … Voted Freshman All-SEC by the league’s coaches … Led the Bulldogs in tackles in three contests – South Alabama, LSU and BYU … In his first collegiate game, earned the start and led MSU in tackles with nine, including two for loss, vs. South Alabama (9/3) … Posted a game-high 10 tackles in his first career road game at LSU (9/17) … Outstanding game at BYU (10/14), registering a season-high 12 tackles, including seven of the solo variety … Named SEC Freshman of the Week in helping lead MSU in the win vs. Ole Miss (11/26) … Gathered six tackles, his first career sack and had 1.5 tackles for loss in the 55-20 win over the Rebels … Became the first SEC Freshman of the Week since Chris Jones (now with Kansas City Chiefs) on Dec. 2, 2013 … Collected seven tackles in the St. Petersburg Bowl vs. Miami (Ohio) (12/26).Â
2015 TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON:Â Redshirted during first year on campus.
HIGH SCHOOL: The nation's top inside linebacker recruit … A consensus four-star prospect ranked the No. 2 overall player in the state of Mississippi … Tabbed the nation's No. 43 overall prospect by Rivals.com, No. 60 overall by ESPN.com and No. 63 by 247Sports … Member of the Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen and was a first-team All-American by USA Today … One of five finalists for the 2014 Dick Butkus Award, which goes to the nation's top linebacker … As a senior, recorded 76 tackles (58 solo) and two tackles for loss … Also had a fumble recovery and one sack for an eight yard loss … Played in the Under Armour All-American game … Finished with 100 tackles, five sacks, seven quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles and an interception as a junior in 2013 … Coached by Tommy Clopton.
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PERSONAL: Born Leo Lewis on Nov. 25, 1996 … Son of Leo Lewis Jr. and Tina Henderson ... Twitter handle is @LeoLewisIII.
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LEWIS’ CAREER HIGHS:
Tackles: 12, (twice), last vs. Kansas State (9-14-19)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0, vs. South Alabama (9-3-16)
Sacks: 1.0, (3x), last vs LSU (10-19-19)
Pass Breakups: 1, (5x), last vs. Abilene Christian (11-23-19)
Fumbles Forced: 1, (2x), at Auburn (9-28-19)
Fumbles Recovered: 2, at Auburn (9-28-19)
