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If there’s going to be a player not named Trevor Lawrence picked at number one overall, it’s probably going to be Oregon left tackle Penei Sewell. Sewell looks and acts the part of a franchise tackle, who seems likely to be able to step in right away to protect a quarterback’s blindside. A behemoth of a man, Sewell moves with grace and has that nasty streak you love to see in an offensive lineman. Some are calling Sewell one of the best tackle prospects ever. I don’t want to go that far just yet, but I will say he’s the best tackle prospect in the past five years. Get him protecting a young franchise quarterback and you have a strong pairing for your offense for a long, long time.

Positives

Strength

This young man is STRONG! He rarely gets pushed back and not many were able to successfully bull rush him. His upper-body strength is elite and you can tell how powerful he is when he stonewalls a defender. He packs a lot of pop in his hands and Oregon loved to run behind him where he can clear lanes by himself. Against Auburn, he did extremely well against Derrick Brown, a 2020 top-ten pick, who weighs over 300 pounds and did well against SEC opponents. Ultimately, being an offensive lineman comes down to moving your man from point A to point B. Being as strong as Sewell is, you know you’re going to get positive yards running behind him.

Mobility

People who are 6-5, 330 pounds like Sewell should not move as quickly as he does. Oregon runs a very “college” offense, meaning there’s a lot of shotgun and a lot of screens. They rely on getting the ball into the hands of their quick playmakers, so the need for athletic linemen is crucial. Sewell was able to get to the second level frequently and when blocking a defensive back or linebacker it’s just unfair. There were also plays where he was used as a lead blocker by pulling. We normally see this used with guards, but with an athletic tackle like Sewell, this was the way to go.

Pass Protection

The purpose of an offensive tackle, particularly one that plays on the left side, is to protect the quarterback. I didn’t see Sewell give up a single sack in the games I watched and he didn’t allow many pressures either. He does a great job of moving his feet and anchoring in to get his body in front of defensive linemen. He’s just so big that once he gets his arms and hands locked in on you, it’s a wrap. You’ll rarely see an offensive lineman in college be a high-level blocker against the bull rush and the speed guys, but Sewell is an all-around beast.

From what I saw, Sewell is an intelligent blocker and seems to be a leader on the Oregon offensive line. He and his left guard (current Giant Shan Lemiuex) did an excellent job on stunts, perfectly passing along defenders to each other. He would also risk his body to block two guys on a play sometimes — ensuring that his quarterback would stay upright. Sewell knows that one false step or read and his quarterback is on the ground and it results in a negative play. A true master of his craft.

Negatives

Balance

Is this me nit-picking to find a negative? Yes. But, I did notice that way too often, Sewell ended up on the ground more often than I would like. It seems his lower body is a little behind in terms of strength in relation to his upper body. Sometimes, he would lunge and get off-balance, missing the block. Is this concerning? Not really. Offensive linemen aren’t ballerinas and can’t be expected to be so nimble.

Conclusion

Sewell is as legit as they come. He’s the complete package at left tackle, a position of high value in football. He’s most likely a slam dunk top-five pick and I’m willing to go as far as saying he’s probably a top-three selection. The only player that will probably be ahead of him on most big boards is Lawrence, which is saying something. I think Cincinnati, Washington, or Carolina would be excellent fits for Sewell and would immediately allow him to start from day one.

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Jevon Holland might not be the big name right now for the 2021 NFL Draft, but he’s one of the best defensive playmakers in the class. He lines up in a variety of positions in the defensive backfield and makes plays no matter where he’s at. Coming from athletic powerhouse Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California, Holland made an impact off the bat as a freshman with five interceptions. Then, he moved into an even bigger role starting at safety and in the slot and was named a Thorpe Award semi-finalist (nations best defensive back). He figures to once again be key in the Ducks back end, where he looks to add to the nine interceptions he’s totaled so far in his career.

Positives

Ballhawk

Holland currently sits tied for third on the FBS active interception list with nine, showing that he’s one of the best in the nation at taking the ball away from opposing quarterbacks. Sometimes he benefits from poor throws from quarterbacks and other times he has lock down coverage, either way, he’s taking advantage of the situation. The joke thrown around about defensive backs is that the reason that they are playing there instead of at receiver is that they can’t catch. A dropped interception is a huge wasted opportunity, so when a defensive back like Holland can come down with the ball then it has to be seen as a huge advantage for the defense. Also, being a ball hawk means that you are typically a high IQ player. You know when to turn your head around and locate the football, something that many defensive backs struggle with.

Solid Tackler

In order to be a good safety (or even slot corner for that matter), you have to be a physical tackler. Holland displays excellent tackling ability. Whether he’s meeting a running back in the hole or making an open-field tackle on the edge, he displays the toughness that most defensive backs just simply don’t have. This will bode well for whatever position he plays (more on that later) as he can be used as a chess piece and not be seen as a liability in coverage or against the run.

Versatile

Whether he lines up in the slot, at safety, or even as a punt returner, Holland excels. I think his best position in the NFL will be at safety, which will allow him to then come down and guard the slot when the offense goes with three receivers. He may not be as dynamic as Tyrann Mathieu, but he can do a lot of the same things. They’re both football players and no matter what you ask them to do, they’ll do well. I’m not sure if he’ll be a punt returner at the next level, but he did average 15.2 yards per return, which was sixth-best in FBS last year.

Negatives

Can get flat-footed in coverage

There were a few times that I noticed that Holland could get flat-footed in coverage. He particularly struggled with double moves and could get beat deep. It seems to be a problem of trying to sit or jump on comeback or dig routes before the receiver sprints right bast him as Holland has his eyes on the quarterback. You take the good and the bad with an aggressive defensive back and in a unique defense like Oregon runs, you’re not going to get much help deep if you’re the slot corner. I do believe he has the coverage skills to guard the slot in the NFL, so he’ll need to clean up some footwork to stop this from being a repetitive issue. If an offensive coordinator sees this, they’ll continue to exploit it over and over again.

Where does he play?

He plays mostly in the slot but projects best at safety. So, one would figure there might be a learning curve for him if a team wants him to become a full-time safety. It’s tough to call this a negative in his game, but something to keep note of. I think another comparison for him would be 49ers defensive back Jimmie Ward. Ward started as a nickel corner early in his career before moving full time to free safety. While he can play center field, I think that would be a disservice to his skill set.

Conclusion

While he isn’t getting the buzz he deserves, Holland figures to be a mid to late first-round pick in the 2021 draft. He’s a steady tackler and a strong cover guy meaning that no matter where he plays, he’ll do well. The slot corner position is one of the more challenging positions in the game and the fact that he has experience there is a plus. Versatility is a coach’s dream and Holland is going to make one organization very happy.

oregon

Penei Sewell: Best Tackle Prospect in Years???

Jevon Holland: No Fly Zone