HEIGHT: 6-5 / WEIGHT: 331 / COLLEGE: Oregon / CLASS: Junior
GAMES WATCHED (5): Auburn, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, California (2019)
| 40 | BENCH | VERT | BROAD | 3 CONE | 20S | 60S |
SIZE/PHYSICAL TRAITS (4.5/5)
- Great size at 6’5″, 331 lbs.
- Arm length is a little on the shorter side for an offensive tackle at 33 1/4″
PASS BLOCKING (27/30)
- Sustains well in pass-blocking snaps
- Shows firm anchor vs. power rushers
- Proved he can handle NFL edge speed in Rose Bowl matchup vs. Wisconsin and Zack Baun
- Good grip strength
- Doesn’t get beat inside
RUN BLOCKING (18/20)
- Phenomenal zone blocker — takes good angles to the second level as a puller, reaches landmarks in a hurry and eliminates targets with incredible consistency
- Exceptional reach blocker
- Very good at seal blocks
- Can be a people-mover as a drive-blocker
TECHNIQUE (10.5/15)
- Patient in pass protection (doesn’t lunge)
- Shows good knee bend and pad level through pass sets
- Stays square to his assignment and doesn’t get over-extended
- Kick-slide footwork is typically smooth and gets him to his set points on time
- Shows good timing on combo blocks
- Typically keeps feet active and slides and mirrors nicely but occasionally stops feet on contact
- Can be passive in pass protection at times — would like to see him shoot hands aggressively on a more consistent basis instead of “catching” pass rushers
- Can be erratic with hand placement but works to refit hands if initial punch doesn’t land cleanly
- Is generally an effective drive-blocker but there’s room for slight improvement with more consistent hip sink
MOVEMENT SKILLS (15/15)
- Spectacular athlete for his size and position
- Fluid and quick mover in space as a puller
- Recovers well in rare occasions where he’s beaten initially off the line
AWARENESS/BLITZ RECOGNITION (15/15)
- High IQ player with excellent awareness of where free rushers are coming from
- Top-notch blitz/stunt recognition
- Stays connected to assignment and doesn’t get distracted by unblocked defenders that flash in front of his face
- Always looks for work
OVERALL GRADE: 90.00/100.00 — ELITE — Future All-Pro/Top-5 potential at position
SCHEME FIT: Scheme-versatile but would really thrive in a zone-blocking run scheme
DRAFT PROJECTION: Top-5 pick
Penei Sewell is a rare talent at offensive tackle. As a young player, he still has some technique issues to iron out; however, his foundation should be good enough to make him a viable NFL starter right away. His physical gifts will help him compensate when his technique isn’t perfect.
As a 20-year-old draft prospect, Sewell appears to be just scratching the surface of his immense potential. He is one of the three best offensive tackle prospects I’ve studied since 2014, trailing only Laremy Tunsil (92) and Jedrick Wills Jr. (91.5) in pre-draft grade. His ceiling may be the highest of all three.
