AUBURN, Ala. – Projected to be the first center selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, former Auburn captain Connor Lew expects to hear his name called Friday during the second and third rounds.
“Knowing that all the testing and all the meetings are all behind me now, I’m super excited,” Lew said. “The whole process has been great. Now, just to see where I end up and get ready to get to work wherever that is.”
A three-year starter on the Plains, Lew missed the final five games of his junior year after having knee surgery. He was Auburn’s highest-graded offensive lineman in four of the seven games he played in 2025.
Having fully recovered, the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Lew is ready to bring his brain and brawn to the NFL.
“You can put whatever you need to mentally and physically on my plate, and I’m the guy who’s going to get that job done,” he said.
“You can feel confident that that quarterback is going to feel good about knowing that Connor’s making the calls, Connor’s going to get us in the right protection and Connor’s going to get us in the right alert calls.”
Reflecting on his three seasons at Auburn, Lew appreciates the relationships he developed.
“There were a lot of ups and downs here,” Lew said. “Didn’t have the success we wanted but the people here are what got us through. I’m super grateful for everyone during my time here.”
While waiting for the draft, Connor Lew frequently attended Auburn’s spring practices, including Saturday’s A-Day game. Now, it’s his turn to be in the spotlight again, perhaps as soon as Thursday’s first round.
“I’ll probably be going through a whole bunch of emotions,” Lew said. “Excited for what’s to come and grateful for all the people who got me to that point and ready for what’s to come in the future.”