The most recent update to the Pro Football Focus menagerie of mock drafts shores up the offensive line in Detroit for years to come.
Analyst Andrew Erickson projects Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell to the Lions at the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. The path to No. 7 features four QBs in the first four picks and none of them are Ohio State’s Justin Fields, and the Lions also pass on him to land Sewell. The rationale is straightforward,
New head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes can’t afford to miss on their first pick as members of the organization. Penei Sewell is the can’t-miss tackle prospect, and teams like the Lions can’t get enough guys like this. At just 19 years old, Sewell had the single highest-graded season we’ve ever seen from a Power 5 offensive tackle.
This would be a pretty big win for a team that is likely looking ahead to a top-three pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, where the QB of the future will await.
One of the interesting notes here is that Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle falls all the way to No. 15 overall. He’s almost universally projected as a top-10 pick.
