Penei Sewell Opens Up About Position Change With Lions

The Detroit Lions had another forgettable season in 2020, ending the campaign with a 5-11 record. One of the many reasons why the Lions were as bad as they were was because they allowed 2.6 sacks per game, which was tied for the 10th-highest average in the league. That's why they went out and drafted offensive tackle Penei Sewell with the seventh overall pick at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Sewell made his college career by playing left tackle. However, he's been practicing on the right side with the Lions. Any time a player has to switch positions, even if it's moving to the opposite side of the field, can be difficult. Sewell opened up about his experience recently at OTAs.

Penei Sewell News

Sewell didn't beat around the bush when it came to opening up with the Detroit Free Press, saying that the experience "is not that easy."

"Man, it's a whole different feel. Again, it's like, let's say I'm right-handed so I've been writing right-handed my whole life, and then one day you're just asked to write your full name left-handed at full speed, the same speed that you write with your right hand. So yeah, it's a little bit of an adjustment."

- Penei Sewell, Lions offensive tackle.

While the move has been challenging for Sewell, it's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the 2019 Morris Trophy winner (best offensive lineman in the Pac-12 Conference) said that he likes the challenge, saying that it'll help him grow as a player. Considering his already proven talents, the Lions would love to see just how good their rookie can get.

Sewell opted out of the 2020 college football season, but his showing in 2019 was more than enough to warrant Detroit using a top-10 pick on him. He didn't allow a single sack through 14 games with the Oregon Ducks that year, while also allowing just 2 quarterback hits. ProFootball Focus awarded him with a 95.8 overall grade, which put him as the best tackle in all of college football.

The Lions are a long shot to win the Super Bowl next season, coming in with the second-worst odds at +15000, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Considering how Sewell is open to challenges, he'll definitely have one as he tries to help bring the Lions back to relevance.

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