Lewis Cine Scouting Report: NFL Draft Prospect Report

 

Safety, Georgia Bulldogs, #16

 

Measurements

6′ 1″ / 200 lbs

40 time: currently not available

 

Lewis Cine Player Profile

Lewis Cine, in his junior season for the Georgia Bulldogs, is a prospect who flies under the radar a little bit when thinking about the top defensive back prospects in the 2022 NFL draft. As the college football season progresses through conference play and we move closer to draft season, I firmly believe Cine’s name will be in that conversation. Cine, one of the more experienced players on Georgia, has established himself as one of the leaders for what looks like the nation’s best defense.

Cine played his first three years of high school ball in Massachusetts for the perennial powerhouse Everett Crimson Tide. He established himself as a Power-5 recruit here, but he decided to transfer to Trinity Christian School in Texas to better prepare himself for his collegiate career. It was here his recruitment exploded. Cine wound up committing to Georgia over the likes of Texas, Michigan, and Florida. It seems like his transfer paid dividends as he was ready to contribute immediately as a true freshman.

During his freshman year, Cine saw action in every game and got two starts, one of them being the SEC Championship game against LSU. After an impressive performance in that game, the stage was set for Cine to be an impact contributor for the rest of his time at Georgia. Last year as a sophomore, Cine started all 10 games, recording 52 tackles and 3 pass deflections. Now in his junior season, Cine has lived up to the lofty expectations of being one of the most important players with an impressive start to the year including 19 tackles, 2 pass deflections, and an interception.

 

Strengths

 

Play Speed

 

Lewis Cine of Georgia Bulldogs

Lewis Cine (16) of the Georgia Bulldogs.

Cine plays football like his hair is on fire. When watching the Georgia film for the Lewis Cine scouting report, I noticed his play speed immediately. Cine’s play speed is one of the most noticeable things on tape. He is a freak athlete and an instinctive player. Whether it is sideline to sideline, or coming downhill, his speed and quickness stands out. This dude has pure football speed, meaning he knows what he’s doing out there. It will be interesting to see how he tests in the 40-yard dash, but whatever the time is his film should take precedent. He is excellent at diagnosing plays and is quick to join the box against the run. Against the pass, he possesses quality closing speed and has proven the ability to keep up with twitchy athletes.

 

Size & Physicality

At 6’1, 200 lbs., Cine has the size to play up in the box and the athleticism to be a factor against the pass. He has put on 15 pounds during his time at Georgia, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried to put on another 5 or so pounds once he’s around an NFL facility. The required length to make plays on the ball is there and so is the functional strength to take on blocks and defeat ball carriers. He is a vicious hitter and looks like an old-school safety when asked to be physical.

 

Versatility

During his time in the Georgia defense, Cine has been asked to play in a two-high scheme, the single safety in a one-high scheme, and as the nickel cornerback. This bodes well for his NFL future as versatility is one of the more important traits for defensive backs today. There has been a large increase in nickel and dime packages. Cine’s play style and size may allow him to play some weakside linebacker in pass-down situations as well. It is common for safeties to slide down to linebacker nowadays to have more speed on the field and Cine fits that bill.

 

Run Game Support & Range

Cine is fearless against the run. There is no hesitation to attack once he diagnoses the play and he is willing to sacrifice his body. He can easily go around blocks, but has shown the ability to shed blocks as well. As we get into the depths of conference play, it will be fun to watch Cine against SEC lineman every week. His range and ability to change direction is impressive as well. His instinctual play style allows him to break on the ball with ease and put him in a position to make a play.

 

Areas for Improvement

 

Ball Skills

The biggest weakness when watching Cine’s film are his ball skills. He does well to put himself in a position to make a play, but he often fails to get his head around. In the NFL this will lead to penalties and chunk plays for the offense. This may be an explanation for Cine’s limited coverage production numbers in college; he did just tally his first interception two games ago against UAB and has five total pass deflections in his career.

 

Shoring Up Fundementals

 

Georgia Safety

Georgia DB Lewis Cine (16).

Cine needs to improve finishing tackles. Because of his play speed and hard-hitting style, he tends to hit high which leads to missed tackles, big plays, and occasionally penalties. After all, Cine’s most well-known play may be his targeting ejection against Florida’s Kyle Pitts (Kyle Pitts Take a Huge Hit on a Brutal Collison vs Georgia!! – YouTube). Especially at the next level, he needs to focus on hitting lower and wrapping up. Additionally, Cine has not forced a fumble in his collegiate career thus far. As a player who is out there to make splash plays and often finds himself up in the box, working on stripping the ball can take his game to another level. Lastly, Cine can become more disciplined in pass coverage. Smart quarterbacks can take advantage of his aggressive play style and simply use their eyes to move Cine out of position.

 

Final Thoughts on Lewis Cine

The 2022 NFL Draft figures to be a strong class for safeties and it easy to see why when watching some of the guys atop the list. Cine is my fourth-ranked safety in the class, which is surely higher than most. I love his projection at the next level. He is tough, can play multiple positions, and has the athletic traits to get even better with the right infrastructure. Cine is a player I see continuing to rise up draft boards and improve his stock. He has been a member of the nation’s best defense the last two years, which is littered with dudes who can flat out ball. This partially may be contributing to the lack of hype around Cine’s game. I still have him as an early Day 2 prospect whom should be getting more love. It shouldn’t be long before he’s getting it.

Lewis Cine Scouting Report by Justin Trevisani

Lewis Cine NFL Comparison: Check back before draft

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