Penei Sewell has climbed to the top of the NFL’s offensive tackle rankings heading into the 2026 season, and the respect he’s earned around the league is showing up in the voting.
The Detroit Lions star was ranked No. 1 at his position after finishing second a year ago, moving ahead of Trent Williams, Tristan Wirfs, Jordan Mailata and Laremy Tunsil. ESPN’s annual polling of NFL executives and coaches continues to paint the same picture: Sewell is one of the league’s most admired linemen, even if the vote wasn’t a runaway.
According to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, "Sewell took the top spot with consistency in the voting. Though he didn't dominate the first-place voting, he was living in the second- and third-place range, which improved his average in the composite total. And one NFC executive was blunt when describing Sewell's strengths as a player."
That NFC executive didn’t hold back either, saying, "He has the most 'f--- you' attitude plays in the league. Always brings the juice."
Sewell’s rise comes after a 9-8 season in which he wasn’t pleased with his own play. The Lions’ offensive line never fully clicked, and that showed up in both the ground game and the passing attack as Jared Goff dealt with uneven protection.
Fowler noted that, "His 89.6% pass block win rate landed outside the top 40 offensive tackles last season. It was his lowest since his rookie year in 2021," and added, "Sewell is making the anticipated switch from right tackle to left tackle this season, and it will be something to watch."
Even with that move to Goff’s blind side, the expectation around the league is that Sewell will remain elite. One veteran NFL defensive coach told ESPN, "He's still the most complete player at this stage -- physical, powerful, smart," while a coordinator offered a more skeptical view of his pass protection.
"He's got short arms, and he doesn't win a lot in pass protection against real guys, just like everyone else," the NFL coordinator expressed. "But they pretend like he doesn't [struggle]."
With Taylor Decker gone, Sewell will be a central figure in a rebuilt offensive line. The Lions are also banking on youth up front, with Blake Miller, Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany all under 26 as the team looks to keep the offense rolling in 2026.
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