Penei Sewell is a special prospect. His physical capabilities, size, and production are all elite for the tackle position. Sewell came into Oregon’s program and started immediately at left tackle (the most important position along the offensive line). In just two seasons played he gave up a single sack which is even more impressive considering he was just 19-years-old.
What truly separates Penei Sewell is his combination of size and athleticism. He gets off the snap so fluidly and hits the defenders hard. At 6-foot-5, 330-pounds Sewell will not be overpowered. Once Sewell gets his hand onto the pass-rusher, there is no chance they’re going to pressure the quarterback.
Given his young age, Sewell is rawer than other tackle prospects in this draft. Northwestern’s Rashawn Skater possesses elite technique and is more of a day one starter compared to Sewell. Another drawback, if any, is that Sewell didn’t face any elite competition in the PAC-12. Slater faced off and won against Chase Young in the BIG-10 whereas Sewell didn’t have that kind of opportunity. However, not a single tackle in this draft class has the same upside that Sewell does.
At Oregon’s pro day, Sewell shut down any questions regarding his physical skill set. After weighing in at over 330-pounds he ran a 5.09, which puts him in the 75th percentile for the position. A 109-inch broad jump showcases his explosiveness. And he expectedly put up an impressive 30 reps on the bench press. These numbers also put him in the upper percentile of tackle prospects.
There are plenty of tackle-needy teams at the top of the draft who will almost certainly be calling Sewell’s name on draft night. The Bengals and Dolphins are popular candidates. Cincinnati has acquired their quarterback of the future in Joe Burrow but struggled to protect him as his season ended due to a torn ACL. Adding Riley Reiff is far from a long-term answer. However, after losing AJ Green in free agency, the Bengals have been linked to drafting Burrow’s LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase. If they do end up drafting Chase, Miami will be the next team up to take the generational talent.
After moving Ereck Flowers to Washington, the Dolphins need to provide protection for Tua Tagovailoa. Adding Sewell gives Miami the opportunity to move Robert Hunt to guard. Having Austin Jackson and Penei Sewell as the outside protectors makes for an impressive offensive line group for the future. Regardless of who drafts him, the addition of Penei Sewell will bolster any offensive units.
