Oregon Ducks offensive tackle Penei Sewell became the latest college football star to declare early for the 2021 NFL Draft, opting out of the 2020 college football season.
Facing the growing uncertainty of whether or not Oregon will even play college football this year, Sewell announced he will opt-out of playing in 2020 to prepare himself for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Oregon OT Penei Sewell opts out, declares for NFL Draft
As of late, we’ve seen several prominent college football players forego their upcoming season and declare for the NFL Draft. Now, Sewell will be joining the likes of LSU Tigers receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Micah Parsons by preparing for the next stage of their football careers.
Oregon’s 6-foot-6 offensive tackle joined the program in 2018 as a four-star recruit with promising potential. In a few short years, he quickly became one of the best offensive linemen in college football and will now be taking his talents to the NFL.
Sewell started immediately as a freshman, playing in seven games and missing six with an injury. He returned in 2019 and took his game to another level as a sophomore, regularly dominating opponents at the line of scrimmage.
By the time his second collegiate season came to an end, Sewell walked away with a trophy case full fo honors. A unanimous All-American, he also won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman and also took home the Morris Trophy.
Even more impressively, Sewell’s tape showcased why he was one of the best players in college football. He received a 95.8 grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest grade given to an offensive player during the 2019 season.
Penei Sewell’s NFL Draft stock
While it might have been a difficult decision to opt-out, potentially foregoing playing football this winter, Sewell made the right choice. He might have been the top offensive lineman taken in this past draft class, but he’ll certainly receive that honor in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Sewell is already a top-five talent in the 2021 draft class and the value of his position will send his draft stock soaring even higher. In our latest 2021 mock draft, Sewell came off the board with the No. 4 overall selection.
This is a player who can step in immediately and be a pillar at left tackle for an NFL team. Sewell’s scouting reports, via NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, are glowing with praise for the 330-pound lineman. He boasts the strength, size and athleticism to be an All-Pro tackle at the next level with a tenacity that his future coaches and quarterback will love.