The Detroit Lions have selected Penei Sewell at seven overall.
Penei Sewell could have entered the draft a season ago, but had decided to return to Oregon to play with his brother Noah. He then opted out of the season because of Covid.
This is the fourth time since 2015 for Oregon Football that they have had a player drafted in the top 10. Before the draft a lot of experts had Sewell going top five to the Cincinatti Bengals. Though instead of improving the offensive line to protect the franchise QB Joe Burrow (who they drafted last year), the Bengals drafted Ja’Marr Chase. Drafting Chase at number 5 overall, reunites Burrow and Chase.
According to Adam Schefter: “One NFL head coach called Lions’ first-round pick Penei Sewell “the one surefire Hall of Famer in this draft class.””
Sewell came into the draft as the best offensive lineman, and a franchise talent at the position. While with the Ducks, Sewell played 1,376 snaps and only allowed one sack. Hes been rated as the best run blocking offensive lineman in the nation in 2019. As well as the third best pass-blocking lineman.
Penei was the first Polynesian, first Sophomore and the first ever Duck to win the Outland Trophy. Which is given to the best lineman in all of college football. Sewell is the highest rated Offensive Lineman in the Pro Football Focus Era.
So where does Sewell fit in with Detroit?
Detroit’s Left Tackle Taylor Decker is coming off of a really good season, and the Lions had other needs. So either way the GM Brad Holmes could have gone in a great direction. But with Sewell falling and being a generational talent, you can’t pass up on Sewell. It just makes sense taking the talent of Sewell and then figuring everything else out later.
So does Sewell move inside? Or does Sewell or Decker move to the right?
Personally, I think you move Decker to the right side and have Sewell start at Left Tackle. However, with how good Decker was last year its more likely to move Sewell to the right side. It seems that Sewell actually knew that this was a possibilty. But we’ll have to wait until the season starts to see what the Lions actually do. Either way the Lions now have a superior outside to protect Jared Goff.
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Northwest Sports Desk 