Detroit Lions Remember Exciting Moment Before Drafting Penei Sewell
Jun 14, 2021, 4:03 PM | Updated: Dec 7, 2022, 3:57 pm
A Detroit Lions fan holds a jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the Lions selected Penei Sewell with the seventh pick during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Detroit Lions shared a video from the 2021 NFL Draft and highlighted the moment team executives and coaches knew they’d be able to select former Desert Hills standout Penei Sewell.
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Sewell was selected by the Lions with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on April 29.
He was the first offensive lineman taken in the draft.
Nearly two months later, the Lions shared a video inside the team’s draft room. During the video, Lions officials watched as the Miami Dolphins selected Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle one pick before Detroit’s first selection.
The members of the Lions organization cheered and hugged each other at that moment and knew they’d be able to draft Sewell.
From the @Lions’ latest episode of Inside the Den, here’s the moment the Detroit draft room learned Miami was taking Jaylen Waddle and leaving Penei Sewell on the board … pic.twitter.com/Hz9rgSgGYd
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) June 14, 2021
Penei Sewell at Desert Hills
Before his time in college and the NFL, Sewell was a star player for the Desert Hills Thunder in St. George, Utah.
As a senior in high school, Sewell participated in the All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl.
247Sports rated Sewell as the No. 1 prospect in the state of Utah for the 2018 class.
Former Desert Hills football star and Oregon OT Penei Sewell is the winner of the 2019 Outland Trophy. Penei is one of the greatest high school football players in Utah history. @kslsports @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/DBRXX20GLZ
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) December 13, 2019
Following his high school career, Sewell chose to play football for the Oregon Ducks.
Penei Sewell at Oregon
As a freshman in 2018, Sewell was an immediate starter for the Ducks. He played in seven contests during his first season in Eugene, Oregon.
In 2019, Sewell played in 14 games and helped Oregon win the Pac-12 Championship. He also helped the Ducks win the Rose Bowl Game against Wisconsin.
🏆 2019 Outland Trophy Winner – 1st in @oregonfootball History
🦆 3rd Duck to be Unanimous 1st Team All-American
😤 Allowed Only 1 Sack in 21 Career GamesPenei Sewell is 1 of the 🔝 prospects in the #NFLDraft and a generational talent. #BackThePac | @NFL | @PacPremierBank pic.twitter.com/HwrggmEuR5
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) April 27, 2021
Sewell was honored with the Outland Trophy for his outstanding play as a sophomore. The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the best interior lineman in college football.
Rather than play in 2020, Sewell opted out of playing as a junior amid the coronavirus pandemic. During the year off, Sewell prepared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Kyle Ireland is a Locals in the NFL Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Yards After College Podcast. Follow him on Twitter (@kyleireland) and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
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