Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
First shot, second chance
Former UM, Miramar WR Lewis begins NFL try
Ex-UM, Miramar player Lewis has chance as Dolphin.
CORAL GABLES — As a standout receiver at Miramar High, Malcolm Lewis would occasionally look up and dream.
From the field where he practiced and played on Friday nights, Lewis and his teammates could see Hard Rock Stadium, the place where he’d eventually play college football and now, hopes to play on Sundays.
Lewis, who had an up-and-down career during his time as a Hurricane, wasn’t taken during last weekend’s NFL draft. However, not long after the seventh round ended, Lewis got a phone call from the Dolphins, who offered him a contract as an undrafted free agent.
Though there were other teams that expressed interest, Lewis opted to sign with the Dolphins, noting that with just seven receivers on the roster, he could be able to make an impact there.
And then there’s the fact he grew up a Dolphins fan in South Florida — and the idea of again having the chance to be able to play in front of his family and friends was something intriguing.
“You think about it, but you never think it’ll happen. It’s a dream and it’s finally coming true” Lewis said of having the chance to play for the Dolphins. “Just to have the opportunity feels amaz-
“Just to have the opportunity feels amazing, a blessing.” Malcolm Lewis
ing, a blessing. To have the chance to stay in Miami once again, to feel the love from everybody and know my family is going to be a part of it again really is amazing.”
Lewis understands the challenge ahead. Making an NFL roster as an undrafted free agent isn’t easy.
But he and other undrafted players can look to former Hurricanes receiver Allen Hurns for inspiration.
Hurns wasn’t drafted coming out of Miami in 2015, but signed as a free agent with Jacksonville.
As a rookie, Hurns went on to make the Jaguars’ roster and that season, caught 64 passes for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns. According to the Florida Times-Union, his 16 touchdowns in his first two seasons were the most by an undrafted free agent since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970. Last year, Hurns signed a four-year, $40 million extension with the Jaguars, proving to undrafted players at Miami and beyond that their NFL careers won’t necessarily be dictated by what happens on draft weekend.
For Lewis, there’s even inspiration in his own journey.
The receiver arrived at Miami a highly touted, highly coveted prospect out of Miramar. His career started in promising fashion with Lewis appearing in four games as a freshman and starting one before he suffered a gruesome ankle injury against Georgia Tech in the Hurricanes’ fifth game of the season.
He missed the remainder of the 2012 season, and though he returned to the Miami lineup the next season and played in 10 games, Lewis says it took more than two years before he felt like himself again.
“I would say that was the toughest thing. It took
“It was frustrating, but I got through it, thank God. No matter what happens, you try to get the positive out of it. Always be coachable, you never know when it will be your time.” Malcolm Lewis, on his ankle injury in college
me a year and a half, almost two years to fully recover,” Lewis said. “It was frustrating, but I got through it, thank God. No matter what happens, you try to get the positive out of it. Always be coachable, you never know when it will be your time.”
For Lewis, that time may have come last season.
He started the final four games of the season and finished with 17 receptions for 211 yards.
His lone touchdown of the year came in Miami’s 31-14 win over West Virginia in the Russell Athletic Bowl, the final game of the season and the final game of Lewis’ Hurricanes career.
Now Lewis is turning his focus to the NFL. He’ll be at the Dolphins’ rookie mini-camp this weekend hoping to do enough in the next few months to get himself a spot on the Miami roster.
“I don’t know what it will feel like to put on that Dolphins gear because it hasn’t happened yet, but I think it’ll be a crazy feeling,” he said. “I just know I have to get there and be ready to grind.”