Most Lions fans will tell you Penei Sewell is the best offensive tackle in the NFL—and it’s not hard to see why. He’s a force in the run game, a clear leader on Detroit’s dominant O-line, and he continues to improve every season. But according to Pro Football Focus, Sewell isn’t quite at the top of the mountain just yet.
In PFF’s latest rankings of offensive tackles, Sewell came in at No. 6—not bad, but lower than many expected. So what’s holding him back?
Run blocking clearly isn’t the issue. In fact, PFF’s Zoltán Buday called Sewell “arguably the best run-blocking tackle in the league.” Over the past two seasons, Sewell has earned a sky-high 95.7 grade in that area—the best in the NFL at his position. The knock comes in pass protection, where he ranked just 29th in 2024 with a 75.4 grade. He allowed pressure on 4.7% of pass plays, putting him 23rd among all tackles.
It’s worth noting that Sewell knows where he wants to improve. This offseason, he told the team’s website his main goal is to get “bigger and stronger” without losing speed. “I just leaned on the guys here—the strength staff does a great job,” he said. “It’s just moving the heavy weights fast.”
Sewell was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has emerged as a foundational piece of a team that went 15-2 last year. Even though Detroit fell short in the playoffs, the Lions remain among the NFC’s top contenders heading into 2025.
And if Sewell sharpens his pass protection to match his elite run blocking, PFF might not have any excuse to keep him out of the top five next time around.
