Aggies Struck Gold with Rayshad Lewis

By. Jacob Sorenson

Coming in to the 2016 season, and newly moved to Logan, Utah I had no idea what to expect from Utah State. A much improved Aggies team, at least from the time I last saw them play, prior to the Gary Anderson era. One thing I did know prior to the season opener was that during recruiting, the Aggies had landed the son of an NFL icon. Rayshad Lewis, a 5'10" cornerback and slot receiver from Orlando, Florida was set to come to Utah to highlight his skills.

When I first heard that Rayshad had chosen Utah State over ten or more other schools I couldn't wait to see see him on the field. It didn't take long. Thursday, the 1st of September against Weber State, he caught 3 passes for 26 yards and nearly showcased his breakaway speed on one end around that landed the true freshman a big ovation from the stands.

Devonte Mays also showcased the backfield which Utah state has created over the past few years. The depth at running back is not something the Aggies fall short on by any means. Mays alone set the Aggies off for 208 yards rushing on only 18 carries against Weber, accumulating just under half of Utah State's total rushing yards. The tandem of Lewis, Van Leeuwen, and Houston catching balls, and Mays running should set the Aggies on the right foot to a big season.

Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of Lewis's addition to the Aggies is his ability to outrun most college corners and still lay big blocks when the ball isn't in his hands. Countless times against Weber, Lewis destroyed the opposing receiver with blocking skills as to those of veteran receivers. His skill set could certainly set him up for an NFL career like that of Julian edelmen or Jordy Nelson. The only college stars that come to mind when thinking of Rayshad comparisons would be Britton covey who played for the University of Utah in 2015, the Rodriguez brothers from Oregon state years ago, and Hunter Renfrow of Clemson. The speed and ball handling ability of Rayshad should scare any opposing defense.

Some credit of the ability to find Rayshad this season with the the depth on offense that Utah State sports. Although they still can improve in depth just like the majority of Utah teams, the Aggies are better offensively now than in years past, including recent seasons of 10 or 11 wins. The Aggies have so much to look forward to in Rayshad even with the 10 games remaining on the schedule. The 4 running back system, depth at receiver, and a tight end corp that looks to improve upon last season, the Aggies are nothing short of a contender for the Mountain West Conference championship.

Although they did lose to USC on Saturday and by a much larger margin than predicted, the Aggies have nothing to hang their heads on. A Trojan's team that was blown out by Alabama should come back at home with a fiery performance, one that likely set them up for major contention in the PAC-12 South. The Aggies did however see another standout game from Rayshad, who caught 4 passes for 34 yards.

Lookout for the speedy wideout and occasional back to bust out a large play this weekend against Arkansas State. In games to come he should see much more action as Kent Meyers continues to acclimate to the variety of targets. The Aggies should be full of hope this season, and no doubt could end up with a 10 or 11 win regular season and notable bowl game. As for now, the vision is fixed on rising stars.