COVINGTON, Ga. -  Newton senior wide receiver Robert Lewis announced his commitment to the Georgia State Panthers on Thursday night and could not be more happy with his decision.

He is teeming with one emotion after announcing his commitment, while also remaining very humble with this cherished opportunity ahead of him.

"Right now, I'm just excited and blessed to be a part of a college football team," Lewis said. "Not too many people get this opportunity."

While Georgia State is only about 40 minutes down the road from Newton high school, Lewis stated that staying close to home was not at the forefront of his decision, but he does believe it will benefit him a lot. 

Lewis, who is a 3-star recruit according to 247 sports, is a dynamic receiver that boasts excellent quickness. As a higher-ranked recruit in the Newton County area, Lewis had multiple schools jockeying for his commitment. He stated that the guys in Georgia State's locker room played a crucial role in him committing. 

"What made me choose Georgia State was really just the culture in their locker room," Lewis said. "The players are down-to-earth guys, and the coaching staff is one big happy family."

He ranks as the Panthers fourth-highest ranked commitment, and that should provide him with the opportunity to compete for playing time early on this team. Head coach Camiel Grant Jr. believes this statement to be true and would not be surprised if Lewis was fighting for time on the field as soon as he lands on campus.

"All the coaches that have been recruiting him have talked about the same thing, which is his explosiveness and one-cut ability. I think he can play inside or outside for them, and they like that he's more physical than he appears, and he breaks tackles and finishes runs," Grant said. "He's very football intelligent, so I think once he gets to that level, he can be coached up and really come in and compete early."

Lewis had an excellent year for the Rams and contributed on both sides of the ball. However, he was much more dangerous on the offensive side of the ball and even earned player of the week honors for his outstanding play there. 

His strong senior year saw him finish second in the team in receiving yards and receptions, with 563 receiving yards on 30 receptions,  while also leading the team in receiving touchdowns with seven.

Averaging close to 20 yards per catch shows how dynamic Lewis can truly be, and he should shine in Atlanta for the Panthers over the next few years. 

Rams recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach Josh Skelton sees this as a perfect fit for both parties involved and thinks Robert made an excellent decision for where he will play for the next four years.

"Robert made a great decision. Georgia State is getting one of the best players to come out of Newton in quite a while," Skelton said. "They are getting a kid that is going to work hard every day. They are getting a stud. He has sacrificed so much to get to this point, and I'm extremely proud of him."