Lewis Cine 2022 NFL Draft Profile

The 2022 CFP National Championship Defensive Player of the Game is headed to the NFL. On a defense that was loaded from top to bottom in NFL talent, Lewis Cine was able to stand out. Cine led all Bulldogs with 73 tackles and nine passes defended. Plus, he added two tackles for loss and an interception. His efforts earned him an All-SEC first-team selection to go with third-team All-American honors.

Cine came into Georgia in 2019 and was able to make an immediate impact. He appeared in each of Georgia’s 14 games, starting the final pair. Since then, he’s been the man leading the defensive backfield. Cine was a four-star recruit out of high school and could end up as the second safety taken in the draft.

Strengths

4.37 speed

Punishes receivers who come across the middle

Extreme downhill tenacity

Quick reaction time to passes

Can adjust from route to route when in zone

Physical and aggressive tackler

Elite special teamer

Weaknesses

Ball skills need work

Elite speed did not show up on field on film

Trusts speed a bit too much, angles on runners need work

Has a tendency to tackle high

Can drift in coverage resulting in getting out of position

Projection: Second round

NFL Comparison: Troy Apke

Bottom Line on Lewis Cine

Cine’s NFL prospects are strong. While it’s a general consensus that the safety class is one elite prospect followed by a handful of decent prospects, Cine has the potential to be a second-round steal. There are a few teams at the tail-end of the first round that could love him. As a whole, the difference between the top safety and Cine is not as vast as initially perceived. The former Georgia safety is an uber athlete. His traits will translate well to the next level and ended up with a 9.92 RAS score, good for best in this year’s class of free safeties and eighth-best since 1987.

Cine was very productive at Georgia with well over 100 career tackles. He has serious speed and it will be difficult to burn him deep. Which, in today’s NFL with ridiculously fast receivers, will be a coveted ability. He possesses an affinity to crash downhill and shoot the running lanes. He is projected as just a free safety but he could play some strong safety. Cine is a physical presence with ungodly speed. His coverage is decent and he gets bailed out by said speed. In the same vein, he can rely on that speed too much which could result in bad angles and high tackles.

The right NFL team will be able to utilize him as a day one starter. Cine has all of the tools to develop into a top-end safety in the NFL. He was a massive reason the Georgia defense was historically elite. Look for Cine to make waves immediately and elevate the secondary where he lands.

Post Views: 55