Why Robert Lewis has become 'the leader' of Auburn's WRs
Lewis might not have the 5-star hype of Cam Coleman or the power-conference pedigree of KeAndre Lambert-Smith. But he could be huge this fall.
WR Robert Lewis (Austin Perryman/Auburn Tigers)
It might have been easy to overlook Robert Lewis.
Lewis was an early part of the massive overhaul for Auburn’s wide receiver room — seven in, eight out and only two returning — this offseason.
He committed and signed with Auburn at a time when the fanbase’s attention at the position was much more focused on the likes of Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Bryce Cain and Malcolm Simmons. (It was also more focused on Ryan Williams, the Alabama commit-turned-late signee who had been a huge “Freeze Five” target.)
Among the transfers to the position, the post-spring buzz has gone toward KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who was the leading receiver at a 10-win Penn State team last season.
There’s also the novelty of Sam Jackson V, the former high school teammate of Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne and a former signal-caller at both Cal and TCU. Jackson’s unique and somewhat surprising move, along with his limited status in the spring due to injury issues, has made him a wild card of sorts on the 2024 roster.
All of that has created a situation where Lewis hasn’t gotten much hype as a newcomer, even at a critical position to Auburn’s chances at improvement this fall.
Inside the program, though, things are different.
“I think Robert is kinda flying under the radar,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said last week at SEC Media Days in Dallas. “But I really like him a lot, too.”
Lewis wasn’t in the Lone Star State last week, yet he was talked about several times by both Freeze and Thorne.
Auburn’s starting quarterback even went as far as to call him “the leader” of the wide receiver room.
“You got Rob, who I think they call him ‘Unc,’” Thorne said. “He's the older guy. I think he might still be younger than me, so I let them take it out on him and not say anything to me. But he's been great.”
Lewis was a Class of 2020 recruit from Covington, Ga. — a 3-star who was one of the top signees for Georgia State. (Thorne was part of the Class of 2019.)
He only played a few snaps during the COVID-impacted 2020 season, taking a redshirt for the Panthers. Lewis got on the field sporadically in 2021, when the Panthers made a bowl game for the third time in four years. In 2022, he established himself as the No. 2 receiver at Georgia State behind future Louisville transfer and fifth-round NFL Draft pick Jamari Thrash.
The 2023 season truly put him on the map, though, and it paved the way for him to join Auburn as a much-needed wide receiver transfer.
For today’s newsletter, let’s take a look at three important areas to Lewis’ status as a potential top player for the Tigers at wide receiver. He might be flying under the radar right now — but he probably won’t be for long.