Four-stars stock remains hot
Four-star athlete prospect Malachi Lewis (6-3, 215, 4.48) from Oxnard (Calif.) Rio Mesa has played this season with a big bull's eye on his jersey. Every team he has faced this season have been fired up to stop Lewis and still he has been instrumental in leading his team to a 5-1 record.
"Malachi is having a good year though he's not getting the stats that he had last year," Rio Mesa coach Bob Gregorchuk said. "That his numbers are down was to be expected because every opposing defense are primed to stop him."
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"We have been able to use him as a decoy and that has helped us average over 100 yards rushing per game," Gregorchuk said. "We have also been able to use him catching the ball out of the backfield more this season."
"Malachi has eight receptions this season for 242 yards," Gregorchuk said. "He is averaging 30.3 yards per catch with a long of 91 yards and two touchdowns."
"Malachi still has a nose for the end zone," Gregorchuk said. "When we're in the red zone we give him the ball and he scores."
So far in 2006, Lewis has rushed for 469 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Though his numbers are not as a gaudy, so far, as they were his junior season, that fact hasn't slowed down his recruitment one bit.
"We have at least two coaches come to our school every Friday," Gregorchuk said. "It seems whoever is playing UCLA or USC makes it up to our campus. UCLA was at our game a couple of weeks ago and they are now talking to him."
"I don't think Malachi has set up any visits yet," Gregorchuk said. "He's going to wait until after the season and he's keeping an open mind."
As a junior, Lewis carried the ball a workman like 306 times for 2,187 yards and 24 touchdowns. His long run was a 75-yarder and he averaged 7.1 yards per carry. He also played a little defense racking up 15 tackles and one pick.
Lewis saw his performance earn him first-team all-CIF, all-county, all-league and League Player of the Year. He was second-team all-state underclassman and second-team super-CIF.
Lewis is a member of the Rivals.com Rivals250 for the class of 2007. He is rated by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 14 athlete prospect and he's been selected to the Rivals.com California top 100 landing as the Golden State's No. 19 prospect at any level.