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Lions’ Penei Sewell Lands Puzzling Disrespect in Latest Rankings

Pro Football Focus (PFF) may need to double-check the numbers when it comes to Detroit Lions star right tackle Penei Sewell.

Ahead of the 2025 season, PFF released its rankings of the top 50 players in the NFL.

Sewell landed at No. 21 overall and as the sixth-ranked tackle. When noting his superb performance since being selected No. 7 overall in the 2021 draft, PFF seems to have contradicted itself.


PFF Snubs Lions’ LT Penei Sewell

PFF’s write-up on Sewell stated he has the second-best wins above replacement (WAR) among all offensive tackles since entering the league, yet five tackles were listed ahead of him in the rankings.

More notably, Sewell, just entering his prime age-25 season, has had the highest WAR rating of any tackle since 2023 — meaning he’s the most valuable tackle in the NFL the past two seasons and is poised to keep improving.

“Sewell entered the league as one of the most hyped tackle prospects in years, and he’s lived up to every bit of it over his first four seasons. Since 2021, his 95.2 run-blocking grade and 1.84 PFF WAR both rank second among offensive tackles, trailing only Trent Williams. While his run blocking gets the headlines, his pass protection has been rock solid too, as he has allowed just four sacks over the past three seasons,” PFF wrote.

The following tackles were ranked ahead of Sewell: Lane Johnson (No. 19), Trent Williams (No. 17), Rashawn Slater (No. 15), Tristan Wirfs (No. 13) and Jordan Mailata (No. 11).

PFF described their criteria for a list, ranking players based on a combination of past performance, future potential and overall impact on the game. The company’s grading system and WAR metric are the two most foundational pieces to these grades.

While the differences among the tackles mentioned in PFF’s rankings are marginal, ESPN’s tackle rankings, which polled executives, coaches and scouts, found Sewell to be the No. 2 tackle in the NFL behind only Wirfs.

“[Sewell’s] definitely one of the most complete players and most physical at the position,” an NFC executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “I just feel there are a few others that are more dominant in both phases.”


Former NFL Lineman Has Scathing Review of Sewell

In response to the ESPN rankings’ high praise of Sewell, former Kansas City Chiefs four-time All-Pro lineman Mitchell Schwartz took issue with Sewell’s spot on X (formerly Twitter).

Whoever is running Sewell’s PR firm needs a raise,” Schwartz posted on X. I don’t care how good of a run blocker you are; being an average or above average pass blocker means you aren’t the best at your side or the 2nd best overall tackle. Everyone is going to think I hate Sewell; I don’t; he’s still the 2nd best RT for me. He’s just not good enough to be getting the accolades and praise he currently is.

I never hear from other OL guys that I’m wrong about Sewell. I never see from non-Lions fans how wrong and stupid I am. The people and places I like to put stock into are all agreeable that Sewell is very clearly the 2nd best RT.

I think he gets a publicity boost because of his draft position, because of the Lions’ success, because of the way they win (physicality), because of his contract, because of the fun ways Ben Johnson used him. It all makes it so he’s seen as better than he actually is (aka better than Lane, and in the best overall OT conversation).

It was a damning attack on Sewell, who will surely use this as bulletin board material entering the season.

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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports

The post Lions’ Penei Sewell Lands Puzzling Disrespect in Latest Rankings appeared first on Heavy Sports.

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