Advertisement

NFL Papers Filed, but Lewis Plans to Stay

Share
Times Staff Writer

Kris Farris did it in 1999. Freddie Mitchell followed in 2001 and Matt Ware did the same last year. They are UCLA underclassmen who left the program early to play in the NFL.

That’s not expected to happen this season, even though juniors Marcedes Lewis and Spencer Havner recently filed paperwork with the NFL to have their draft status evaluated.

“We’ve talked about it a little bit,” Lewis said about his NFL discussions with Havner. “I told him that I want him to come back. Especially, if I’m coming back, I want him to come back.”

Advertisement

Lewis, a 6-foot-6 tight end who caught 30 passes for seven touchdowns during the regular season, is excited about his growing role in Coach Karl Dorrell’s West Coast offense and said he promised the coaching staff that he would return.

“With a couple of breaks, this could have easily been a two-loss season, if that,” Lewis said. “Our team is going to be good next year and with the right pieces, we’re going to be great.”

Havner, a linebacker who led the Pacific 10 Conference in tackles with 125, is leaning toward staying but says he hasn’t made up his mind. He will not play in the Dec. 23 Las Vegas Bowl against Wyoming because of knee surgery.

“I’m coming back,” Lewis said. “Ultimately, it’s his decision. But it would be great if we had everyone coming back. That would just put us in position to start this thing off right ... and getting a win in the Las Vegas Bowl will only kick start next season.”

*

Sophomore running back Maurice Drew, whose ankle injury limited him over the final three games of the regular season, has slowly been working his way back into the flow over the last week of practices.

“He’s probably 90-95%,” Dorrell said. “He still looks a little bit rusty to me in terms of understanding his reads and things like that. But, we have some time for him to get some reps and get him back into the fold.”

Advertisement
Advertisement