2021 NFL Draft: Three-round 2021 NFL mock draft with top 10 surprises
2021 NFL Draft: Round 1, 3rd Overall
OT. Oregon. Penei Sewell. 3. 56. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. player
The Joe Burrow injury is absolutely brutal for the Cincinnati Bengals and will undoubtedly hurt their ability to win games going forward. With Burrow out of action, I would not be surprised to see Cincinnati lose the rest of their games. While that is obviously less than ideal, it does set them up well for the 2021 NFL Draft. With quarterbacks going off of the board with the first two picks, Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell stands tall as the obvious choice for the Bengals at No. 3.
Similar to Lawrence and Fields, Sewell is a generational prospect at his position. He is legitimately the best offensive tackle prospect to enter the league in recent history and is the easy favorite to be the first non-quarterback to come off of the board in the 2021 NFL Draft. The offensive line stands out as the biggest need for Cincinnati, making this a perfect situation where the best player available meets team need.
Sewell shows an incredible combination of athleticism and power up front that has to be exciting for NFL teams. He is quick off of the ball, powerful at the point of attack and moves extremely well in space.
Sewell is a patient and smart pass protector who mirrors extremely well and consistently uses his long arms to his advantage on the edge. He shows a strong initial punch and clean footwork throughout most pass protection reps.
As a run blocker, Sewell fires off of the ball in an instant and does a great job of overwhelming the defender at the point of attack. He has obvious power in his hands and lower half of his body, simply gripping onto the defender and driving him down the field a majority of the time.
Sewell’s athleticism really shines through when he is asked to attack the second level. His ability to get out in space and maintain his balance when attacking second-level defenders is incredibly impressive and makes him an intriguing option for teams who run a zone-based rushing attack.
Simply put, Penei Sewell is an elite offensive tackle prospect who has massive upside at the next level. Taking him here and sticking him at left tackle for the next 10+ years is undoubtedly the best plan of attack for this team.