Connor Lew selected by Bengals in fourth round of NFL Draft
Connor Lew is officially heading to Cincinnati.
The Bengals selected Lew with the 128th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft Saturday. With the Bengals’ selection, Lew becomes the first Auburn offensive lineman selected since 2020.
He’s the third Auburn player selected in this year’s draft, joining Keldric Faulk (Round 1, Pick 31) and Keyron Crawford (Round 3, Pick 67).
FROM KENNESAW TO THE QUEEN CITY
Lew played high school football at Kennesaw Mountain in Kennesaw, Ga., where he was a three-star prospect in the 2023 class.
It was a complex recruiting process, as Lew initially committed to Miami (FL) over Auburn, Georgia and Clemson. His August commitment to the Hurricanes seemed firm until Hugh Freeze was hired in November.
From there, Auburn pushed heavily for Lew and following an official visit in the days before signing day, he flipped his commitment.
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FOUNDATION UP FRONT
As a true freshman, Lew served as the backup center before an injury to Avery Jones thrust him into action.
From that moment on, Lew took over as Auburn’s starting center. He started every game as a sophomore and entered his junior season as not just a starter, but a team captain. Seven games into the 2025 season, Lew went down with a torn ACL, ending his season.
In December, Lew announced he’d forgo his final season of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. It led to his fourth-round selection, where he’ll begin his career with the Cincinnati Bengals.