[Fiches Draft] Penei Sewell (OT), the scary potential!

By Grégory Richard – On March 22 at 10:30 am

Penei Sewell, the new generational tackle?

Penei Sewell – Offensive Tackle – 20 – Sophomore – Oregon

Cut : 1m98

Weight: 150 kilos

Estimated position in the draft: Top 5

NFL Comparison: Trent williams

Strong points

– Intimidating template
– Strength and agility
– maturity
– Room for improvement

It’s a label that sticks to Trevor Lawrence’s skin. But make no mistake, Penei Sewell is also what you might call a generational talent. Holder upon his arrival on the Oregon campus, the Ducks lineman quickly turned into the wall of Justin Herbert, during the last university months of the Chargers phenomenon. It must be said that this native of the Samoan Islands, who arrived in the southwest of the United States at the age of 12, has serious arguments to make.

It’s hard not to notice his mover’s physique: at nearly 2 meters and 150 kilos on the scale, Sewell is perhaps not as massive as Mekhi Becton, drafted last year, but is participating in this famous mutation of large-scale blind side linemen. And this impressive size would be nothing without the incredible mobility that goes with it. On the move, the prospect of only 20 years old is quite simply unplayable, able to anticipate the opposing angles on the pro pass and to attack the first on stages of the race. It is often the lower body that creates the differences. The footwork is efficient and his center of gravity is almost always anchored to offer him the best probability of luck in the duel. The violent hands take care of doing the rest, on the first contact. A combination of skills that allowed him not to concede any sack on his entire 2019 campaign.

Lively and aggressive, Sewell is also a mature and cerebral player. At 19, he was already the anchor of an offensive line made up of « veterans ». Excellent on « plan A », he is also able to read the opposing defense and provide support if the need arises. And all this, having bypassed the 2020 season, because of the health crisis …

Weak points

– Perfectible technique

Finding fault with Penei Sewell is a bit like trying to find a breach in his face. If a point had to be perfected, it would undoubtedly be his upper body technique, almost perfect in the face of large-scale pass rushers, but sometimes put to the test against bull-rushers or more explosive profiles. . Some scouts may also regret his « boycott » of the last season, because with even more experience in 2020, his progress would be even more palpable. But on the eve of this draft, the question is not whether he will reach an All-Pro level, but when.

Possible destinations

Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers

Coming from a family of sportsmen and footballers (his uncles, Isaac Sopoaga and Richard Brown, played in the NFL, and his three brothers are known faces of College Football), Penei Sewell is a talent that can still appear raw but to side which we clearly cannot pass. Even with a year away from the field, the Utah kid has demonstrated an unparalleled state of mind which should allow him to learn quickly and to make a contribution from the first season with the pros. Excellent on the ground game, it is not impossible to see him start as a guard, at first, before quickly, very quickly, seeing him appoint the quarterback’s bodyguard.

(* number 58 on the videos below)