DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 25: Penei Sewell #58 of the Detroit Lions walks off the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on November 25, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions16-14. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell had a nice rookie season, and Pro Football Focus has recognized him thusly.
The Detroit Lions were ecstatic when they got Penei Sewell with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft. With the extra challenge of having to move to left tackle (albeit his college position) on short notice then back to right tackle when Taylor Decker was healthy, he had a fine rookie season.
Sewell had a rough two-game stretch where he allowed four sacks (Week 4 and Week 5). But outsde of that he allowed just one sack in his other 14 games a rookie, and he helped paved the way for a solid Detroit rushing attack. Pro Football Focus graded him as the sixth-best right tackle in the league, and the 10th-best run blocker among all offensive tackles.
Penei Sewell made Pro Football Focus’ Top 101 players for 2021
Pro Football Focus is now out with their list of the Top 101 players for the 2021 season. Past performance or future expected performance need not apply, it’s strictly a list of the best players from the just finished season. Positions were not weighted differently against each other.
At No. 66 on the list, there’s Sewell. Here’s what Sam Monson wrote about the Lions’ rookie tackle.
66. T PENEI SEWELL, DETROIT LIONS
2021 Snaps: 990 | 2021 PFF Grade: 82.4The offseason debate was whether the Bengals should draft Ja’Marr Chase or Penei Sewell with their first-round pick, and as good as Chase was in his debut season, Sewell was also very impressive. Asked to play both left and right tackle during the season, Sewell earned an 84.5 run-blocking grade and surrendered 35 pressures in total. He had some poor games but offset them with dominant ones at a position that typically takes time to adjust to in the NFL.
Sewell didn’t turn 21 years old until he had played four (and nearly five) games in the NFL. His quick adjustment to the league after opting out of his final season at Oregon, and switching positions like he did, made his rookie season uniquely good. The Lions clearly made the right choice last April, if more proof was really needed.