Bethel Park defensive back Jehvonn Lewis joins Pitt as preferred walk-on

Pitt added a WPIAL star to its ranks late last week, as Jehvonn Lewis, a defensive back and running back out of Bethel Park High School, announced his commitment to the program as a preferred walk-on on Thursday. The Pittsburgh-area standout earned all-conference honors in the Allegheny Eight at the 5A level in 2019 as a defensive back, but he also showed immense skill on offense as well.

”As a little kid, my dream was to play Division I football, and my dream came to reality today,” Lewis said in a message posted on Twitter. “That being said, I am blessed and honored to say that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at the University of Pittsburgh.”

The buzz around Lewis has revolved around his promise as a running back, and rightfully so, as he put on some explosive performances with the Black Hawks. Most notably, he went off for 328 yards against Woodland Hills on Aug. 31, 2018, scoring three touchdowns in a 41-20 win. That was the first varsity start of Lewis’ high school career, and his rushing total was enough to break Bethel Park’s record for rushing yards in a single game.

The 5’10”, 165-pound athlete would rush for 277 more yards and eight more touchdowns in his junior year, finishing with 605 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in a season shortened by injury. However, he was highly impactful when he was on the field, as he averaged 8.2 yards per carry before he was sidelined.

As a senior, Lewis posted similar numbers but seemed to take a step back overall, as he amassed 519 rushing yards and five scores on 68 carries. But he also added 370 yards and four touchdowns on 19 receptions.

Given the depth Pitt currently boasts at running back and the fact that former Pitt defensive backs Therran Coleman and Bricen Garner both recently transferred out of the program, Lewis could provide the team with secondary depth or perhaps see action on special teams.