Tyquan Lewis Bio
Tyquan Lewis, born January 30, 1995, in Tarboro, North Carolina, is an American professional football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2018 NFL draft. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and listed at 265 pounds, Lewis has built a steady career as a rotational pass rusher and run defender on the Colts defensive line.
Early Life and Background
Tyquan Lewis grew up in Tarboro, North Carolina, a small town in the eastern part of the state, and attended Tarboro High School, where he played football and developed into one of the most heavily recruited defensive linemen in the region. He was part of multiple state championship teams during his prep career and earned a spot on the Associated Press North Carolina all-state team as a senior. Rated as a four-star prospect by the major recruiting services, Lewis drew scholarship offers from programs such as Louisiana State University, the University of North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and Clemson University before choosing Ohio State.
Lewis committed to Ohio State on September 20, 2012, as part of the class of 2013, but had to convince his mother that leaving North Carolina for a school so far from home was the right decision. Her concerns about distance reflected the close ties of his family in eastern North Carolina, where Lewis has four brothers and a sister. Those family ties would remain a steady presence through his years in Columbus and later in Indianapolis.
Path to American Football
Lewis arrived at Ohio State as an interior pass rusher with the build and quickness to develop into a full defensive end, and he used his redshirt freshman season to learn the program while contributing on defense and special teams. His breakout came in his sophomore year, when he led the Buckeyes in quarterback sacks with eight and finished second on the team to Joey Bosa in tackles for loss with fourteen. He earned an Honorable Mention on the 2015 All-Big Ten Conference football team and received a national championship ring as the Buckeyes won the first College Football Playoff in January 2015.
Lewis continued to grow as a leader on and off the field in 2016, recording 7.5 sacks, sealing a win against Wisconsin, and serving as a team captain. He was named first-team All-Big Ten and was honored as the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. In January 2017, he announced that he would skip the 2017 NFL draft and return for his senior season, aiming to refine his game and improve his draft stock.
Tyquan Lewis Career
College Career (2013–2017)
Across five seasons at Ohio State, Lewis became one of the most durable defenders in program history. He played through most of his sophomore year with an injured labrum before having surgery the following January, and he returned to earn first-team All-Big Ten recognition in both 2016 and 2017. As a senior he added 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks and tied the Ohio State football record for games played with 55.
Lewis wrapped up his college career with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl in January 2018, recording 1.5 sacks, including a strip-sack while working with Ogbonnia Okoronkwo. He then attended the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he was limited to the vertical and broad jump because of a bout with the flu, before completing the rest of his testing at Ohio State’s pro day.
NFL Draft and Rookie Season (2018–2019)
The Indianapolis Colts selected Tyquan Lewis in the second round with the 64th overall pick of the 2018 NFL draft, trading their third-round and sixth-round selections to the Cleveland Browns to acquire the pick. On May 11, 2018, the Colts signed him to a four-year, $4.36 million contract that included a $1.25 million signing bonus. His rookie year was disrupted when he was placed on injured reserve on September 3, 2018, with a toe injury, and he was activated off injured reserve on November 9, 2018.
Indianapolis Colts Tenure (2020–2024)
Lewis carved out a defined role on the Colts defensive line as a rotational end and interior rusher. In Week 8 of the 2020 season, he recorded two sacks on quarterback Matthew Stafford during a 41–21 win over the Detroit Lions, one of the most productive individual performances of his career. He continued to contribute as a situational pass rusher over the next two seasons.
On November 1, 2021, Lewis was placed on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. On March 16, 2022, he signed a one-year, $3 million contract extension with the Colts, only to suffer a ruptured patellar tendon in Week 8 and land on injured reserve again on October 31, 2022. He re-signed with the Colts on March 13, 2023, played in all 17 games that season, and recorded 25 tackles and four sacks. He was also named the team’s 2023 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. On March 11, 2024, the Colts signed Lewis to a two-year contract extension.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lewis owns a College Football Playoff national championship ring from the 2014 Buckeyes, two first-team All-Big Ten selections in 2016 and 2017, and the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award for 2016. He also tied the Ohio State football record for games played with 55 and produced the first multi-sack game of his NFL career against Detroit in 2020.
Tyquan Lewis Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Tyquan Lewis grew up in Tarboro, North Carolina, as one of five siblings, with four brothers and a sister. His family remained closely involved as he moved from North Carolina to Ohio State and then to Indianapolis. Lewis had to reassure his mother about leaving home for Ohio State, a sign of the strong family bonds that have shaped his path to the NFL.
2025 Season Outlook
Heading into the 2025 season, Tyquan Lewis is under contract with the Indianapolis Colts following the two-year extension he signed on March 11, 2024. His role is expected to remain that of a rotational defensive end who can kick inside on passing downs, giving the Colts flexibility up front. After playing a full 17-game season in 2023 and earning the team’s Ed Block Courage Award, he enters 2025 looking to build on his durability and continue producing as a pass rusher.
Lewis will be relied upon for veteran leadership on a Colts defensive line that values depth and versatility, and his track record of bouncing back from major injuries, including a torn patellar tendon in 2022, gives the team confidence that he can stay on the field. With his contract running through 2025, the upcoming season represents a chance to deliver one of the most consistent campaigns of his career.