Football is blood. That is what they say. Penei Sewell is already one of the better offensive tackles in the NFC. Now his brother Noah Sewell joins the NFL ranks as a 5th round pick of the Chicago Bears. The first thing anybody talks about is his average speed for a linebacker. Yes, it’s an issue. However, his awareness, tackling prowess and hitting power make him a constant source of annoyance for opposing offenses. Think of him as another Jack Sanborn, and you’ll get the idea of what the Bears have.
One thing that stands out with Sewell is his downhill ability. Not only is he good at reading run plays to make stops, but he also has pass rush prowess as a blitzer. This should make him an immediate contributor on special teams. That is a theme the Bears have been running with so far on Day 3 of the draft. If you want an idea of how he can impact games, watch his tape against Utah last season. He was around the ball constantly and was great at helping direct the Ducks’ defense.
People will talk about his lack of range and coverage prowess. The Bears likely already knew this and seem to think there is room for improvement. They’re not wrong. He can start by maybe dropping some weight. He’s a little heavy at 246 lbs. That won’t be an issue. Despite lacking speed, he is still a solid athlete and explodes downhill when he trusts his eyes. Running backs will have to be wary of him. If there is somebody in this draft and screams Chicago Bears, it’s Sewell. Don’t be surprised if he immediately stands out on special teams just like Jack Sanborn did.
It is best to trust Matt Eberflus with this one. The guy knows linebackers.
