It's John Lewis' time at Mississippi State

Trials have come John Lewis’ way, but he just keeps smiling.

As he walked into the Dallas Omni Hotel at Tuesday’s SEC Media Days appearance, Lewis couldn’t stop the smiling. The pictures stitched inside his custom-made suit jacket could explain a lot of that.

Lewis had pictures of two of his biggest inspirations inside. One of those was of his cousin, Tyrese Hoskin, who was tragically killed in a car wreck in Madison nearly two years ago. Lewis calls Hoskin his brother because of how close the two were growing up and he hasn’t forgotten the impact he left on him.

The other picture inside was the ultrasound of Lewis’ newborn son who came into the world on June 29. Lewis’ son represents a new light and a new life on what’s ahead this year for him at Mississippi State.

As the former Germantown standout enters year four in Starkville, it’s finally his time to shine. He’s spent the last several months stepping into a leadership role and preparing himself for the SEC.

“I’m considered an old head now,” Lewis joked. “They make fun of me all the time but it’s fun because I tell them they’re going to be in my shoes one day.”

Bookie Watson helped prepare Lewis to lead

It wasn’t long ago that Lewis probably heard the same thing from players like Jett Johnson and Bookie Watson.

After six years, the SEC’s leading tacklers have moved on to the next level and it’s Lewis’ turn to take over. Lewis has shown glimpses but wasn’t given the reps he needed in the first three years with just 23 total tackles and 3.5 TFL. Almost all of that came last season for Lewis and he feels that was just a taste for what’s ahead.

“I can’t be more ready than I am already. I go out every day and just be me and play football,” Lewis said. “(Watson) just told me to relax and that’s something I’ve been working on the last year. It’s not just about being a leader, it’s about having the respect of the whole team and you respecting them. I just followed Bookie’s footsteps and paid attention to a lot of the things he did and said.”

Lewis is one of several players that will be making their regular starting debuts this year on defense. It will be almost entirely new unit and the coaching staff is included there with David Turner the lone returner back as defensive line coach.

Despite the new faces and the lack of experience, Lewis said that there is a surprise coming for the rest of the SEC. Teams have slept on the Bulldogs this summer, but the players have confidence in what’s ahead.

“No worries at all. We got a lot of pieces that we feel we needed. We’ve got a lot of DB’s, our linebacker room is full. We’re very confident in the defense,” Lewis said. “I’ve got a lot of faith in (the front seven). I think they’re going to win the majority of the matchups.”

New head coach Jeff Lebby echoes those sentiments, and it’s because of players like Lewis.

Early in the spring, the coach began to see that Lewis was a player that was going to lead for his defense. That was further exclaimed when the coach selected Lewis to be a representative at SEC media days.

The talking is about to be finished, however, and Lewis and the Bulldogs will get to work on the field. Lebby said that Lewis will be leading the charge.

“Our in-state guy that grew up a Bulldog, John Lewis, a guy that played 12 ball games for us last year, has some experience, but has earned this starting role through spring football, and he’s done it through consistency and toughness and leadership and accountability,” Lebby said about his defensive leader.

“We get to town, create a position change for him, not playing on the line of scrimmage anymore, stacking back, playing as a second level player, and this is a guy that has taken it and run with it and has accepted the change and been a guy that’s going to play at a really high level but be a huge part of our program as we move this thing forward.”