Marcedes Lewis

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis has purchased a condo at the Residences at W Hollywood for about $1.2 million. The unit has two bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms, nearly 2,100 square feet of interior living space and a deck off the master bedroom. The open floor plan encompasses the living room, dining room and kitchen with a center island. Lewis, 28, played in college for UCLA. He has been with the Jaguars since he was drafted in 2006. The 2010 Pro Bowl player was attracted to the building's location near restaurants, night life and shopping as well as its amenities, which include 24-hour concierge service and a rooftop pool.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis has purchased a condo at the Residences at W Hollywood for about $1.2 million. The unit has two bedrooms, 21/2 bathrooms, nearly 2,100 square feet of interior living space and a deck off the master bedroom. The open floor plan encompasses the living room, dining room and kitchen with a center island. Lewis, 28, played in college for UCLA. He has been with the Jaguars since he was drafted in 2006. The 2010 Pro Bowl player was attracted to the building's location near restaurants, night life and shopping as well as its amenities, which include 24-hour concierge service and a rooftop pool.

Bruin Coach Steve Lavin is expecting forward Marcedes Lewis to join the team, now that football season is over, but the freshman tight end needs a break first. Lewis said after the Las Vegas Bowl that he planned to take off until Jan. 6, which would follow UCLA's trip to Washington and Washington State that opens Pacific 10 Conference play. "I need to rest my knees," said Lewis, who played both sports at Long Beach Poly High.

Long before he emerged as one of the top tight end prospects in this weekend's NFL draft, Marcedes Lewis learned how to achieve separation. It meant running down a freeway frontage road to escape his mom's abusive boyfriend. Lewis learned how to extend his body to the fullest. It meant standing on his tiptoes, unsupervised in the apartment at age 7, so he could see over the stove and cook dinner for he and his younger brother. And he learned how to zig when others zagged.

Marcedes Lewis has exploited defenses all season, catching 55 passes for 711 yards and 10 touchdowns, numbers good enough to make him a finalist for the John Mackey Award -- which goes to college football's top tight end -- for the second consecutive year. On Saturday, Lewis will go up against a USC defense that has been burned several times by tight ends this season.

Basketball has been one long waiting game for forward Marcedes Lewis. The season hasn't worked out as well as the two-sport freshman hoped. Since joining the team after football season Jan. 6, he has played only 26 minutes in seven games, totaling nine points and four rebounds. "There's been a lot of down time," he said.

The question did not stump UCLA defensive end Dave Ball, master of the one-liner and possessor of wisdom and perspective as a fifth-year senior and three-year starter: Is there anyone on this planet who thinks the Bruins can beat second-ranked USC in the Coliseum on Saturday? "Maybe Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny ... somebody mystical," Ball said. "Shoot, my parents don't even think we have a chance. But whatever, that's fine."

Tight end Marcedes Lewis doesn't have a problem playing the role of decoy if the Bruin offense continues to have the type of success it had against Rice on Saturday. Lewis was double-teamed most of the game and finished with two receptions for 27 yards, but the Bruins picked apart the defenseless Owls, gaining 578 total yards in a 63-21 victory. "When everyone is involved and getting the football, our offense really clicks," said Lewis, who expects a tougher challenge this week against No.

Tight end Marcedes Lewis, second on the team with 30 receptions last season, has been practicing harder than he ever has and should be even more productive this season -- if he becomes a better blocker. "This [West Coast] system plays to the tight end, sometimes more than to others," explained Tom Cable, the first-year offensive coordinator, who has made Lewis one of his projects. "His job is to block and get the edge for you offensively to run the football.

The mere name of UCLA's tight end -- Marcedes Lewis -- evokes an image of luxury, of a sleek and powerful vehicle that is a cut above the rest, and Lewis certainly has the chassis to match, an athletic 6-foot-6, 251-pound frame that looks fresh off the NFL assembly line. But for the last five weeks, Lewis has been stuck in the garage, looking for the key to unlock the array of talents and features he displayed in the Bruins' season-opening 16-14 loss to Colorado on Sept. 6.

Marcedes Lewis has exploited defenses all season, catching 55 passes for 711 yards and 10 touchdowns, numbers good enough to make him a finalist for the John Mackey Award -- which goes to college football's top tight end -- for the second consecutive year. On Saturday, Lewis will go up against a USC defense that has been burned several times by tight ends this season.

Growing up, Marcedes Lewis was always one of the biggest kids in his class, and he loved to tell friends that he was going to be a football player someday. But UCLA's senior tight end didn't last long in his first youth league season at age 8. After a week of practices, Lewis decided that football was too time consuming, so he quit.

Tight end Marcedes Lewis doesn't have a problem playing the role of decoy if the Bruin offense continues to have the type of success it had against Rice on Saturday. Lewis was double-teamed most of the game and finished with two receptions for 27 yards, but the Bruins picked apart the defenseless Owls, gaining 578 total yards in a 63-21 victory. "When everyone is involved and getting the football, our offense really clicks," said Lewis, who expects a tougher challenge this week against No.

One day last spring, UCLA junior tight end Marcedes Lewis owned the main basketball court in the Wooden Center. Scoring on fadeaway jump shots and three-point baskets, mixed in with a few dunks and rebounds, Lewis dominated the play, keeping his pickup team on the floor with a string of victories. When Lewis was done, an impressed bystander asked why he didn't play varsity basketball. Lewis shook his head and said, "Nah, I just play for fun now. I have other things to concentrate on."

Tight end Marcedes Lewis, second on the team with 30 receptions last season, has been practicing harder than he ever has and should be even more productive this season -- if he becomes a better blocker. "This [West Coast] system plays to the tight end, sometimes more than to others," explained Tom Cable, the first-year offensive coordinator, who has made Lewis one of his projects. "His job is to block and get the edge for you offensively to run the football.

The question did not stump UCLA defensive end Dave Ball, master of the one-liner and possessor of wisdom and perspective as a fifth-year senior and three-year starter: Is there anyone on this planet who thinks the Bruins can beat second-ranked USC in the Coliseum on Saturday? "Maybe Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny ... somebody mystical," Ball said. "Shoot, my parents don't even think we have a chance. But whatever, that's fine."

Those who have watched Marcedes Lewis make catch after acrobatic catch in practice and during UCLA's Aug. 23 scrimmage were surprised to see the 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore listed behind Blane Kezirian at tight end on the Bruins' depth chart for Saturday's opener at Colorado. Though it isn't a typographical error, the listing isn't a true reflection of how much each will play.

His classmates called him "Benz" and acquaintances used to tease him mercilessly. Even now Marcedes Lewis, Long Beach Poly High's senior tight end, hears countless bad jokes about his unusual first name. For the record, it's pronounced Mar-say-deez. Not like the high-priced, German luxury automobile. "I didn't like it when I was younger," Lewis said. "I was like, 'Marcedes, that's a girl's name.' Now, it's like, whatever. Everybody knows me, everybody's cool with it, so I'm cool with it."

The mere name of UCLA's tight end -- Marcedes Lewis -- evokes an image of luxury, of a sleek and powerful vehicle that is a cut above the rest, and Lewis certainly has the chassis to match, an athletic 6-foot-6, 251-pound frame that looks fresh off the NFL assembly line. But for the last five weeks, Lewis has been stuck in the garage, looking for the key to unlock the array of talents and features he displayed in the Bruins' season-opening 16-14 loss to Colorado on Sept. 6.

Those who have watched Marcedes Lewis make catch after acrobatic catch in practice and during UCLA's Aug. 23 scrimmage were surprised to see the 6-foot-6, 250-pound sophomore listed behind Blane Kezirian at tight end on the Bruins' depth chart for Saturday's opener at Colorado. Though it isn't a typographical error, the listing isn't a true reflection of how much each will play.