Former Everett, Georgia star Lewis Cine headed for NFL

Lewis Cine was more than happy basking in the glory of winning a national football championship.

He found out that was only part of the celebration.

As he walked up to the podium with the rest of the Georgia Bulldogs, the former Everett star was informed he was named the Defensive Player of the Game after registering seven tackles in a 33-18 win over Alabama.

“I was honestly shocked when the reporter came up to me, shook my hand and told me,” Cine said. “I thought one of my teammates, Nakobe Dean or Jordan Davis, was going to get it. I’m still stunned about it.”

The championship game capped off a terrific junior season for the hard-hitting 6-foot-1, 200-pound safety. Cine led the Bulldogs in tackles with 73 to go along with an interception and nine passes defended.

While Georgia sailed along undefeated during the regular season, everyone assumed a one-loss Alabama team was still the team to beat. That notion was reinforced when the Crimson Tide ripped apart the vaunted Bulldog defense, 41-24, to win the Southeastern Conference title.

As much as the loss stung, Cine and his teammates knew the setback wasn’t going to define them. They earned one of four spots in the college football playoffs and defeated Michigan, 34-11, in the semifinal to get a second shot at Alabama.

“We really didn’t change too much from the first game,” Cine said. “We kept things simple, worked on the basics like our man coverage and it worked.”

Things have generally worked for Cine going back to his high school days at Everett. Former Crimson Tide coach John DiBiaso, not one to make outlandish claims, said early on that Cine had all the tools to be able to play on Sundays in the future.

He was part of a pair of Div. 1 Super Bowl champions (2016 and 2017). As a junior, he recorded 65 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries and a pair of interceptions as the Crimson Tide went undefeated.

“Playing at Everett helped me develop the toughness I needed,” Cine said. “We played tough competition, going against top teams like Xaverian, and we had a great coach.”

Cine left Everett after his junior year, moving to Texas where he played at Trinity Christian. One of his coaches there was Deion Sanders, who helped hone Cine’s impressive skills.

At Georgia, Cine cracked the starting lineup by the end of his freshman year and remained there for the duration of his college career.

Once Georgia climbed the pinnacle and won the school’s first national championship since 1980, Cine was left with a decision – should he stay or throw his name into the NFL Draft? Cine opted for the latter.

“Personally, I felt I was ready for it. I talked to my family and friends and they all felt this is the best option,” said Cine, who is expected to go in the top two rounds. “I feel like I am mentally and physically ready to make a difference for a team.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3fwT3ns