Connor Lew

austinbignall07
Dec 29, 2025
3 min read

NFL Draft Profile: Connor Lew

Position: Center | School: Auburn | Class: Junior

Height: 6'3" | Weight: 303 lbs | Archetype: Balanced (Technician / Zone Specialist)

College Career Summary

Connor Lew is widely considered the premier center prospect in the 2026 class, known for a high football IQ and technical precision that borders on surgical. A former three-star recruit who chose Auburn over Miami, Lew was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2023 following an injury to Avery Jones. He didn't just survive; he flourished, earning Freshman All-SEC honors and not allowing a single sack in SEC play.

His 2025 season was a display of masterclass consistency until it was tragically cut short by a torn ACL in late October. Before the injury, Lew was the "literal centerpiece" of a top-10 ranked Auburn offensive line. He entered the year on the Rimington Trophy Watch List and maintained his status as the highest-graded pass-blocker on the team. Despite his season-ending injury, his body of work over 30 career games has established him as the gold standard for interior line play in the SEC.

Career Stats & Highlights

Career Starts: 25 (Started every game since mid-2023)
2025 Sacks Allowed: 2 (Season cut short at 7 games)
2025 Pressures Allowed: 6
Pancakes: ~38 (Through 7 games in 2025)
Holding Penalties: 1 (2025) / 4 (Career)
Honors: 2025 Rimington Trophy Watch List; 2023 Freshman All-SEC; SEC Freshman of the Week (vs. Mississippi St, 2023).

2025 Game-by-Game Grades

Week	Opponent	Grade	Scout's Notes
1	@ Baylor	A	Perfect execution; diagnosed multiple exotic blitzes from Aranda.
2	vs Ball State	A+	The Apex. Total displacement; led the charge for 400+ team rush yards.
3	vs South Alabama	B+	Dominant in space on screen passes; technically flawless.
4	@ Oklahoma	B	Tough physical battle; anchor held firm against NFL-caliber interior.
5	@ Texas A&M	C+	Worst Game. Struggled with the 12th Man noise; 1 sack allowed on a bull-rush.
7	vs Georgia	B+	Gritty performance; limited pressures against the nation's best defense.
8	@ Missouri	INC	Injury. Exited early with a torn ACL. Grades are incomplete post-snap 15.

Scouting Grade Rubric

Intangibles (.20) — Grade: 98/100

Leadership: Elite. Handled the line calls for the entire unit as a true freshman.
Mental Toughness: Elite; transitioned into the SEC fire and thrived immediately.
Competitor: High; plays with a business-like approach and a wrestling background.
Team Player: High; vocal leader who puts the "unit" success above personal stats.
Star: High; his absence from the lineup was immediately felt by the Auburn offense.

Physical Tools (.20) — Grade: 84/100

Height/Weight: 6'3", 303 lbs. (Below benchmarks). Size is his biggest NFL question mark.
Stamina: High; maintains technical integrity even in high-tempo Gus Malzahn-legacy packages.
Durability: Major Concern. Season-ending ACL surgery in 2025 is the primary red flag.
Injury History: Historically clean until the 2025 ligament tear.

Attributes (.20) — Grade: 95/100

Run Block: Plus; exceptional at reaching his landmarks and executing combo blocks.
Pass Block: Strength. Elite strike timing and the ability to latch onto rushers early.
Strength: Good; generates surprising power from a lower center of gravity.
Technique: Elite. Footwork and hand placement are as clean as any IOL in the country.
High Motor: Constant; high-hustle player who searches for work.

Athleticism (.20) — Grade: 93/100

Speed: Elite. One of the fastest centers in the country getting to the second level.
Agility: Plus; lateral quickness allows him to mirror twitchy sub-package rushers.
Flexibility: High; "loose hips" developed through years of competitive wrestling.
Acceleration: Sudden; his first step off the snap is often the fastest on the field.
Footwork: Clinical; very precise and rarely gets his feet tangled.

IQ (.20) — Grade: 99/100

Awareness: Outlier. Diagnostic skills for stunts and loopers are purely NFL-level.

Scouting Report

Strengths: Technical "savant" with an elite wrestling-based leverage game; exceptional movement skills in space; arguably the highest IQ of any offensive player in the SEC; statistically elite pass protection (0.2% sack/hit rate in 2024).
Weaknesses: Below-Average Size. Standing at 6'3", he is a "center-only" prospect and may be overwhelmed by massive NFL nose tackles; Medical. Must prove 100% recovery from the ACL tear to maintain his second-level speed.
Scheme Fit: Ideal for a Wide Zone or West Coast system that prizes movement (e.g., Dolphins, 49ers, Rams).
NFL Comparison: Tyler Linderbaum / Jason Kelce (Lite).

Scout's Final Word

"Connor Lew is a master of the 'invisible' aspects of the game. He isn't going to wow anyone on the scale, but his tape is a clinic on how to play the pivot. If he hadn't torn his ACL, he'd be a lock for the late 1st round. Now, he’s a value play. A team will get a 10-year starter and a future captain who can command an NFL huddle from Day 1. Draft Projection: 2nd - 3rd Round (Positional Value & Medical Discount)."