Detroit Lions standout offensive lineman Penei Sewell is one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, but just how good is he?
The NFL announced this offseason that they’ll be awarding a Protector of the Year for the 2025 season and beyond. This will serve as the de facto measuring stick for who the best offensive lineman in the league much like the Offensive Player of the Year award crowns the best offensive player in the league that year, usually outside of the MVP.
The award is a welcome addition as offensive linemen are integral to team success and the success of quarterbacks, who typically get all the praise. While it will surely be a contentious award, and for good reason, the accolade is long overdue. Sewell, the former Oregon Ducks All-American, is the odds-on favorite to claim the honor in its inaugural season.
Sewell has also been named the best player in the NFL 25 and under by Pro Football Focus, along with being named the sixth-best offensive tackle in the league. The accolades and achievements are building up weekly for All-Pro tackle, and they’re well deserved. As the credentials pile up, so does the expectation, which leads to the odds of awards such as Protector of the Year.
“After leading the NFL with a 95.1 PFF run-blocking grade in 2023 - the second-highest mark recorded by PFF in the past decade — Penei Sewell followed it up with another 90.0-plus season, reinforcing his status as one of the league's premier road graders entering his age-25 campaign. Over the past two years, Sewell has ranked in the 98th percentile in positively graded run-blocking plays,” Mason Cameron of PFF said.
“While he's also a strong pass protector, that area of his game isn't quite at the same elite level. His 97.7 pass-blocking efficiency in 2024 tied for 16th among tackles. If he can take a step forward in that department this season, Sewell could become a frontrunner for the league's inaugural Protector of the Year honor,” Cameron continued.
As a top draft pick and high school recruit, Sewell is no stranger to the pressure of expectation. How does he deal with it? Putting in the work. When asked about his offseason early in OTAs, Sewell laid out his process and what he’s been focusing on while the cameras and microphones have been away.
Penei Sewell: +650 👀
The best bets for Protector of the Year 🛡️https://t.co/7fbQfZor1f— PFF (@PFF) July 3, 2025
"I just stayed here in Michigan working with the strength staff, it's just moving big weight fast, always trying to up the weight," Sewell said. "Obviously, you got to be smart with it. There's also some risk going into lifting those types of weights, but I just leaned on the guys here, the strength staff, they do a great job. It's just moving the heavy weights fast."
Sewell is already one of the best, and if this season goes according to plan, he could very well be the undisputed best offensive lineman in the sport.
-1751781349-q80.webp "Eagles First-Round Rookie Shows Off Encouraging Injury Rehab Progress")
