Defensive fit and coaching staff led HHS cornerback to Nevada
This is No. 14 in a month-long series of profiles of Arizona high school seniors that signed with four-year colleges. Here's the full list (currently totaling 272) of players from within the state moving on to the next level.
SPOTLIGHT: 2/22/21
In his three years on varsity at Hamilton, Zachary Lewis has done a little of everything. He's been a running back, receiver, safety, cornerback, kick returner, punt returner, and even a wildcat quarterback.
During his sophomore year, the Huskies went a very uncharacteristic 3-7 and some thought the glory days of Hamilton had passed. But, Lewis and his returning teammates showed that was merely an aberration and that they are back. Back-to-back years of making the Open Division tournament and coming within a whisker of taking last year's state championship served notice of that.
Last season, Lewis focused more on the cornerback position and he has found himself in love with that side of the ball. The 5-11, 185-pound athlete had 30 tackles and forced two fumbles. Lewis also intercepted passes in playoff wins over Corona del Sol and Salpointe. In the Salpointe game, he turned it into six the other way.
He could still be found on offense as he caught 24 passes with two of them going for touchdowns.
Lewis had FBS offers from Army, Nevada, and Washington State. The Nevada offer came in February of last year. He committed to the Wolf Pack in June and signed last December. It is as a defensive back that Nevada was recruiting him.
Lewis checked out a few schools to compare the coaching staffs and evaluated how the players interacted with one another off the field.
"The University of Nevada fit me the best because of the defense," Lewis said in an e-mail interview. "The coaching staff had a great connection with me and the players made me feel like family."
The sport of football spurred Lewis' interest in going to college.
"Football made me want to go and play at the college level because it's a way for my family to be set," Lewis said. "Plus, it's a brotherhood and it's something I enjoy."
Lewis plans to study Business at Nevada, which makes since as he's a young soon-to-be entrepreneur that is planning to drop a clothing line soon. You can keep up with the release of that on his Instagram link.
There are a couple of players on Nevada's roster that Lewis has familiarity with. Defensive backs Zeke Robbins and Avery Carrington both played for Chandler High. Lewis said they are like brothers to him.
"I mostly talk to Zeke and he helps me a lot," Lewis said. "I also worked out with him a few times and he gave me tips on stuff when I get up there."
In 2020, Nevada made it back to Boise for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. After falling short in the 2019 game, the Pack defeated Tulane, 38-27 last December to cap a 7-2 season. The defense on that team featured a lot of seniors and that is the side of the ball that will need to be rebuilt for 2021. Of Nevada's 21 new signees, 12 are on defense. The Wolf Pack will open the '21 season on Sept. 4 in Pac-12 country at Cal.
"I'm ready to get to college and start working," Lewis said. "Everyone stay safe. Z3 out."
