Penei Sewell kicked things off for the family, but Noah Sewell is grabbing life by the horns, or ball carrier. No player this summer has impressed me more with his overall play than Sewell has to this point. The complete skillset he brings to the linebacker position cannot be overstressed.
Sewell is the younger brother of former first-round pick Penei Sewell, so we have the NFL bloodlines brewing. His brother was seen as a potential miss despite the film and high drat capital, don’t overthink his brother. Noah Sewell won’t have the same drat capital as his brother, but he deserves the same respect.
Sewell has All the Tools to be an IDP Star
Sewell has been getting hyped for a while now, and in one of the rare instances, he didn’t disappoint. He was born in Samoa before making his way to the United States and quickly grabbed everyone’s attention. For Sewell, he would find himself developing into a star linebacker for Orem High School in Utah. He would play both sides of the ball and earned a 5-star rating from 247 Sports. To top it all off, he would be the 13th overall recruit in the class of 2020.
The 5-star Sewell would waste no time making an impact earning Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. He would follow that act with a dominant 2021, recording 114 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He would lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 title and now has the team transitioning from an offensive approach to a defensive one.
What You See When Watching Him
Speed
247 Sports has Sewell comped to Devin White, but White is physically different. They play with the same speed, but White is two inches shorter and weighs 20 pounds less. I liken him to D’onta Hightower. Hightower’s processing speed made him Bill Belichick’s defense leader in New England. That same trait for Sewell has me believing he could immediately captain an NFL defense. You don’t have that natural instinct. It is earned. How is it earned? Working hard in the film room and picking up on what the offense gives you.
Do you think I wasn’t going to mention his game speed? He has White’s speed in a bigger frame. Think about that; he is a unicorn similar to Derrick Henry. Henry shouldn’t move like that as a running back, but he does. The same goes for Sewell at LB. He is a unicorn.
Range
The speed I touched on there at the end leads us here, his range. His range to play sideline to sideline or drop back in coverage before getting in the backfield is insane for his age. An LB who hasn’t even turned 21 yet, showing that type of range is rare. So often, when you watch Sewell, you see him drop back, wait for the offense to commit, and then attack.
To top it all off, he can provide excellent pass coverage. This past year Sewell couldn’t get the best numbers to back up that claim. However, when you watch the film, you see it clearly as day. Five pass breakups and a crucial interception in the Pac-12 title game should get the juices flowing.
Summary
The value of college LBs going pro is tough to gauge. Sewell won’t be a top-five pick, but he could easily stay in the top 15. That is the sweet spot, and he will likely go to a better team with a stable coaching environment. He will be let loose and score you massive points in IDP. Sewell and Will Anderson Jr. need your full attention this fall; you are in for a show.
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