Is Tennessee Football Sophomore RB Poised for Breakout Season?

Peyton Lewis showed up in Knoxville with a tremendous skill set and a lot of upside. Lewis could really breakout in year two.

Peyton Lewis | Dale Dowden - @Dale_Dowden

Tennessee football running back Peyton Lewis is gearing up for what could be a very productive year in Knoxville.

The Vols pulled Lewis out of Virginia during the 2024 recruiting class, and many believed back then and still think today that the Salem (Va.) standout was a hidden gem.

As a freshman, Lewis played behind Dylan Sampson and DeSean Bishop, however, was able to rake up some stats in his year one campaign. 339-yards on 64-carries for an average of 5.3 yards a carry was solid, but this year provides a new element.

The staff challenged Lewis to simply grow. The second year back believes he can be a major impact, as he reminisced two former All-SEC backs.

"We challenged him just to grow. He changed his body. He looks like a Greek God when he walks out there on the field," said Sims.

"His eyes and his feet match now in the run game. His eyes and his feet match in pass protection, as well," Sims continued.

Lewis believes he could be the next All-SEC back from Tennessee, and with the recent changes and development, he could very well be right. The body transformation is going to play out huge over the course of the season.

"I see it as two guys (Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson) before me made All-SEC --- Why not me?"

"You see tackles bounce off of him. He's built his body in a way where he has this armor to use his body as a weapon now," explained Sims

Lewis will enter this 2025 season at 6-foot-1, and roughly about 215-pounds. It is easy for many to forget that Lewis has also won multiple track events and championships.

If Lewis continues on this path, he will be very efficient when running through someone, or around them, which should put the Virginia native in the conversations of being an All-SEC back, and more.

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