3DownNation’s top 100 CFL players: No. 56 Eugene Lewis, Montreal Alouettes

Eugene Lewis was a surprisingly unproductive college receiver at Penn State and Oklahoma.

The native of Norristown, Pa. played three seasons for the Nittany Lions, making 18 starts in 38 games. He recorded 90 receptions for 1,181 yards and eight touchdowns from 2013 to 2015 prior to a transfer to the Big 12.

Photo courtesy: Scott Grant/CFLPhotoArchive.com

As a member of the Sooners in 2016, Lewis made 32 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games, one of which he started. Penn State and Oklahoma are well-respected programs with a lot of quality competition, but one would typically expect more production from a future star.

NFL teams didn’t see enough from the six-foot-one, 210-pound target to select him in the 2017 draft. He received mini-camp invites from the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals but did not sign with either team, joining the Montreal Alouettes in June 2017.

Lewis had a relatively quiet first season in la belle province before assuming a full-time starting role. Over two years as a first-stringer (2018-19) the receiver made 116 receptions for 1,960 yards and nine touchdowns.

The 27-year-old was named an East Division all-star this past year and capitalized on that success by signing a one-year contract extension worth approximately $170,000. He is a burgeoning star on a young roster that is starting to attract new fans in the province of Quebec.

Lewis is slated to become a free agent in February 2021 and would be one of the top receivers available if he were to reach the market.

3DownNation is unveiling its list of the top 100 active CFL players, a project that will run through December 31, 2020. To read the criteria for player eligibility, click here. The list to date can be found below.

57. DB Greg Reid, Montreal Alouettes
58. DL Mike Moore, Edmonton Football Team
59. OL Ryker Mathews, B.C. Lions
60. DB Tunde Adeleke, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
61. LB Jameer Thurman, Free Agent
62. QB Matt Nichols, Toronto Argonauts
63. DB Jamar Wall, Calgary Stampeders
64. DB Loucheiz Purifoy, Saskatchewan Roughriders
65. REC Lemar Durant, B.C. Lions
66. OL Brendon LaBatte, Saskatchewan Roughriders
67. OL SirVincent Rogers, Ottawa Redblacks
68. QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, Free Agent
69. DB/RET Frankie Williams, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
70. DB T.J. Lee, B.C. Lions
71. QB Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
72. SAM Anthony Cioffi, Free Agent
73. DB Shaquille Richardson, Toronto Argonauts
74. REC Kamar Jorden, Calgary Stampeders
75. OL Darius Ciraco, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
76. REC Jalen Saunders, Free Agent
77. QB Dane Evans, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
78. REC Brad Sinopoli, Ottawa Redblacks
79. RET Janarion Grant, Free Agent
80. DE Avery Ellis, Ottawa Redblacks
81. DE Cordarro Law, Calgary Stampeders
82. DB Brandon Alexander, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
83. OL Jermarcus Hardrick, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
84. DB Branden Dozier, Free Agent
85. SAM Otha Foster, Saskatchewan Roughriders
86. DB Antoine Pruneau, Ottawa Redblacks
87. RB John White, B.C. Lions
88. LB Avery Williams, Ottawa Redblacks
89. LB Jovan Santos-Knox, Free Agent
90. DB Richard Leonard, Calgary Stampeders
91. REC Armanti Edwards, Edmonton Football Team
92. RB C.J. Gable, Free Agent
93. DT Mike Rose, Calgary Stampeders
94. REC S.J. Green, Free Agent
95. DB Mike Edem, Saskatchewan Roughriders
96. DE John Bowman, Montreal Alouettes
97. DB Taylor Loffler, Montreal Alouettes
98. QB Nick Arbuckle, Ottawa Redblacks
99. ST Mike Miller, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
100. DE Chris Casher, B.C. Lions