The 2025 NFL season was quite different for the Detroit Lions and their offensive tackle Penei Sewell. Detroit’s season ended disappointingly with a late-season collapse, but Sewell continued to dominate on the field, which earned him a place among the top 10 players in PFN’s Top 100 rankings entering the 2026 season.
Detroit Lions’ Penei Sewell Earns Top Offensive Tackle Honors in PFN’s NFL Top 100 Rankings
Sewell has developed into one of the NFL’s elite offensive linemen since being drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. Besides being previously seen as the league’s top right tackle, he also has a strong case as one of the best tackles in the league.
With his magnificent playing profile, Sewell landed at No. 4 on PFN’s Top 100 players list and was also ranked as the league’s best offensive tackle.
Detroit plans to move Sewell from right tackle to left tackle for the 2026 season, but PFN believes his dominance removes any concern over the position change.
“Sometimes there’s concern when an offensive lineman shifts positions, but there’s absolutely no concern with Penei Sewell moving from right tackle to left tackle in 2026,” the PFN report says. “That stems from how dominant he’s been; he was the highest-graded offensive lineman in both 2023 and 2025 by PFN OL Impact Scoring, regardless of position.”
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The Lions entered the 2025 season with high hopes and opened with a 7-4 record before fading late in the year. They managed only two wins over their final six games, but Sewell remained a standout performer, finishing with a 93.4 PFN OL Impact Score and just 2 penalties all season.
Sewell is elite as both a pass blocker and run blocker, while his last season’s performance earned him another First-Team All-Pro honor as well as another Pro Bowl selection.
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“In addition to being the best overall lineman in two of the last three years, Sewell has been at least a top-six offensive tackle every year since his second NFL season in 2022,” the report added. “He’s been a first-team All-Pro each of the last three years for a reason; he’s incredibly strong, mobile in pass protection, coordinated in his movements, and precise in the timing and placement of his strikes.”
PFN analyst Ian Cummings also described Sewell as a dominant run blocker and an “ultra-reliable pass-game sentry” whose presence elevates Detroit’s rushing attack.
With four Pro Bowl selections and three straight First-Team All-Pro honors, the Detroit star has established himself among the NFL’s elite, and so Cummings also mentioned that the Lions’ offense would not be the same without him.
Sewell’s reputation is reflected in multiple rankings, as ESPN’s July 11 survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts placed him at No. 1 in its offensive lineman rankings. On CBS Sports’ list of the top 25 NFL players aged 25 and under, only Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson ranked ahead of him.
